Fresh controversy has erupted within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, publicly rejected the party’s presidential primary that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate for the 2027 general election.
Lawal, a former Northeast Vice Chairman of the ADC, claimed the primary election was manipulated and insisted he possesses evidence to back his allegations. Speaking during a national television interview, he argued that the final results announced by the party did not accurately reflect votes recorded in several locations.
According to him, some results were allegedly altered during the collation process. Lawal cited an example from a local government area where he claimed presidential aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen scored about 20,000 votes while Atiku received just over 1,000 votes. He alleged that the figures were later reversed before they reached the party’s national collation centre in Abuja.
The former SGF further claimed that concerns were raised by officials involved in the process. Recounting one of his complaints, Lawal alleged that a returning officer questioned how the announced figures differed from the original tally and suggested there was reluctance to release results that could embarrass Atiku in his home state of Adamawa.
Beyond the presidential contest, Lawal alleged that irregularities affected other elections conducted during the primary. He claimed that some candidates who won House of Representatives contests were replaced in the final documents submitted to the party headquarters. He specifically referenced a constituency covering Yola North and Yola South in Adamawa State, alleging that the winner’s name did not appear in the final records.
Lawal also questioned delays in the transmission of results from Adamawa, claiming the state’s returning officer took nearly three days to submit documents to Abuja. He alleged that the results eventually presented were different from those originally recorded, describing them as “mutilated” and “manipulated.”
Despite his criticism of the process, Lawal said his opposition was not directed at Atiku personally. He maintained that he would have supported the former vice president if he believed the primary was conducted fairly. According to him, strengthening Nigeria’s democracy begins with ensuring credible internal party elections and transparent leadership selection processes.
The former ADC chieftain also stood by previous remarks that sparked criticism over ethnic and religious issues. Lawal said he would not retract the comments, linking his views to what he described as years of discrimination faced as a Christian from the Kilba ethnic group in Adamawa State. He argued that identity politics continues to influence opportunities and political power in parts of Northern Nigeria.
Lawal additionally renewed his support for Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, describing the businessman and economist as the most qualified among the presidential aspirants. He praised Hayatu-Deen’s corporate achievements and said he entered politics without political baggage, making him the strongest candidate for the future of Nigeria.
