Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has officially resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Lawal announced his departure via a statement on his official Facebook page on Monday, citing widespread irregularities and manipulation during the party's recent presidential primary. 

In his statement, Lawal heavily criticized the internal electoral process, asserting that the primary was systematically compromised to favor former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

"I am exiting the ADC because its just-concluded primaries were at all levels massively rigged in favor of Kachalla Abubakar Atiku," Lawal stated. "Results were just written or rewritten to favor him and his coven. Even where they allowed some semblance of election to hold, the winners were simply replaced with members of his syndicate. In the real sense, it was a disgraceful charade."

Lawal, an influential opposition figure hailing from the same home state of Adamawa as Atiku, emphasized that his decision to exit the party stems from his refusal to be associated with a political machinery that could compromise future general elections. Moving forward, the former SGF indicated he would withdraw to his private estate while consulting with political associates to determine his next steps.

Context of the Dispute

The high-profile resignation follows growing friction surrounding the ADC’s May 25, 2026 presidential primary. Atiku Abubakar secured the party's ticket for the 2027 general election with a reported 1,846,370 votes. Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen finished second and third, securing 504,117 and 177,120 votes, respectively.

The conduct of the primary has faced sharp rebuffs from other leading aspirants:

Rotimi Amaechi: The former Transportation Minister openly raised concerns regarding the integrity of the exercise, alleging distinct structural irregularities.

Mohammed Hayatu-Deen: Prior to the official announcement of the results, Hayatu-Deen publicly distanced himself from the process, citing vote manipulation. However, following a reconciliation meeting with Atiku, Hayatu-Deen later ruled out a legal challenge, stating he chose to prioritize party unity and the establishment of a credible opposition over personal political ambitions.

The ADC leadership has yet to issue an official response to Lawal's allegations or his departure from the party.