In a dramatic escalation of tensions within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, has resigned from the party, accusing its leadership of “massively rigging” the presidential primaries that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s 2027 presidential candidate. The ADC has not yet issued an official response to Lawal’s resignation.
Lawal, a prominent figure in northern politics and one of the party’s most recognizable national voices, announced his resignation in a blistering statement on Monday, describing the primaries as a “disgraceful charade” orchestrated to impose Atiku on the party. “I am exiting the ADC because its just concluded primaries were at all levels massively rigged in favour of Kachalla Abubakar Atiku,” Lawal said, adding: “Results were just written or rewritten to favour him and his coven… Even where they allowed some semblance of election to hold, the winners were simply replaced with members of his syndicate.”
The former SGF said he refused to be part of what he called a “conspiracy of silence” within the party, accusing ADC leaders of normalizing electoral manipulation while pretending to champion democratic reform. His resignation marks the most significant crack yet in the ADC’s attempt to position itself as a credible alternative to Nigeria’s dominant political blocs ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku Fires Back: “Lawal Is a Conflict Entrepreneur”
Atiku’s media office swiftly rejected the allegations, launching a fierce counterattack on Lawal’s character and motives. In a statement issued in Abuja, Atiku’s team described Lawal as a “notorious conflict entrepreneur” who was projecting his own flaws onto others. “As far as we are concerned, Babachir was perfectly describing his own character rather than Atiku’s,” the statement read. “He opportunistically panders to sentiments to achieve his ambition… None of his struggles are influenced by the larger interests of his people or Nigeria.”
The Atiku camp insisted that the primaries were transparent, nationwide, and reflective of the will of ADC members, accusing Lawal of failing to provide “a shred of evidence” to support his claims. Phrank Shaibu, Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, said Lawal’s allegations were “sensational, baseless, and insulting to thousands of ADC members who participated in the process.”
Wike Weighs in: “Opposition Hypocrisy Exposed”
Adding fuel to the fire, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, used his monthly media briefing to mock both Atiku and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate Peter Obi, calling them “hypocrites” who cannot offer Nigerians a better democratic alternative. Wike said the recent controversies trailing the ADC and NDC primaries had exposed the “moral grandstanding” of opposition figures who routinely accuse the ruling party of undermining democracy. “They told Nigerians they were the new face of democracy… But what we have seen is allegations of irregularities and protests within their own structures,” Wike said, adding: “Nigerians now know they are all liars. They can’t continue deceiving the people.”
A Blow to ADC’s 2027 Strategy
Lawal’s exit is a significant setback for the ADC, which has struggled to consolidate its national presence and present a unified front ahead of the 2027 elections. His departure removes one of the party’s most recognizable northern Christian figures; a demographic the ADC has been keen to court. Political analysts say the public feud between Lawal and Atiku could deepen internal fractures and undermine the party’s credibility at a critical moment.
The ADC has not yet issued an official response to Lawal’s resignation. But with the 2027 race already heating up, Lawal’s resignation raises urgent questions: will other senior ADC figures follow him out of the party? Can Atiku maintain control of a party now facing accusations of internal manipulation? And will the ADC survive the perception that it cannot manage its own primaries, let alone govern a country?
For now, the party is in damage control mode; and the former SGF has ensured that the crisis will not fade quietly.
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