Babachir Lawal joins NDC after leaving ADC

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress. This comes three months after he left the African Democratic Congress, claiming that its presidential primary was manipulated.

Lawal announced his switch to the NDC in Abuja on Tuesday. He also expressed his support for the party’s presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, as Nigeria heads towards the 2027 general elections.

After joining the opposition party, Lawal said Nigerians who care about issues like insecurity and hunger should back the NDC. He stated, “Anybody in Nigeria who has the interest of our country at heart and sympathy for the suffering that is ongoing in our country, along with insecurity, hunger, ignorance and disease, will have no choice but to join a party that represents the future and have Peter and Kwankwaso as their candidates.

“Every sensible and patriotic Nigerian ought to understand this. It is now convincing to partner with the NDC to see to the fulfilment of the very noble objective of installing Obi as the president and Kwankwaso as vice president. So, by the grace of God, we look forward to May 29, 2027, to celebrate the feat properly for the good of the country, and future of generations yet unborn.”

NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, welcomed Lawal into the party. He called Lawal a political mobiliser and activist with a lot of experience in Nigerian politics. Dickson said, “Babachir Lawal does not need any introduction. He was the former secretary to the government of our country, who did well. But behind the official designations that are known, what is not known is that he’s a great mobiliser. He’s actually some sort of political activist also.

“He has seen it all and seen parties that were promising but failed to deliver on the promised change. These are parties that have taken our country from top to bottom, and now they are even digging the ground to bury the country. On behalf of the national working committee and our candidates, Peter Obi and his running mate, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, we welcome you.

“We are pleased to have you play a leadership role that only you can play at those levels. You will oversee the activities of the NDC and our campaigns in the North Eastern part of Nigeria. We count on you, therefore, to help resolve issues, give guidance and direction to the activities of all our candidates and our campaigns in those zones.”

Lawal’s move to the NDC came about three months after he resigned from the ADC. He claimed that the party’s presidential primary was manipulated to favour former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

In his resignation statement on his official Facebook page, Lawal said he could no longer stay in a party with a primary process he called fundamentally flawed. The former SGF also alleged that results were changed to favour Atiku and his supporters, adding that even in places where voting took place, declared winners were allegedly replaced.