Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has resigned from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (ADC), citing alleged irregularities in the party’s recently concluded primary elections.
Lawal announced his resignation in a statement issued on Monday, where he expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the primaries and accused party leaders of failing to uphold the principles of transparency and internal democracy.
According to the former SGF, the primary elections were compromised and allegedly manipulated to favour former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a development he said undermined the credibility of the process and the confidence of party members.
He maintained that the outcome of the exercise did not reflect a free and fair democratic contest, stressing that the alleged irregularities were unacceptable and contrary to the values he expected the party to uphold.
“I am leaving the ADC because its just-concluded primaries were, at all levels, massively rigged in favour of Kachalla Abubakar Atiku,” Lawal stated.
The former SGF also criticized what he described as the silence of party stakeholders regarding the alleged flaws in the electoral process.
“I sense a conspiracy of silence, of which I want no part. Most members of the party are behaving as if this is the normal thing to do,” he added.
Lawal further distanced himself from efforts aimed at supporting Atiku’s reported presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections, arguing that political decisions should be guided by competence, credibility and the national interest.
He expressed concern that backing certain political aspirations could inadvertently strengthen the position of the ruling party in the next election cycle.
The former SGF disclosed that he would be stepping back from active political engagement for the time being, adding that he intends to consult widely with political associates and stakeholders before determining his next course of action.
His resignation comes amid ongoing political realignments and heightened activities within opposition parties as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum across the country.
