A fresh crisis has erupted within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the resignation of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who accused the party of rigging its presidential primary in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Lawal announced his departure from the party on Monday, alleging that the May 25 primary election was manipulated to ensure Atiku’s emergence as the ADC’s flag bearer for the 2027 presidential election. He claimed results were altered across different levels of the exercise and described the process as lacking credibility.
Atiku secured the party’s ticket after polling 1,846,370 votes, defeating former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who received 504,117 and 177,120 votes respectively.
In his resignation statement, Lawal argued that remaining in the party would amount to endorsing a flawed political process. He also expressed concerns about supporting Atiku’s presidential ambition, insisting he would not be involved in what he described as a rigging structure ahead of the 2027 elections.
Responding to the allegations, Atiku’s media team dismissed the claims and defended the conduct of the primaries. His spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, maintained that the election reflected the wishes of party members nationwide and challenged Lawal to provide evidence to back his accusations.
The Atiku camp further questioned Lawal’s criticism of the process, noting that he appeared comfortable with outcomes from the same exercise in contests that favoured individuals close to him. It also argued that dissatisfaction with the result, rather than genuine concerns about electoral integrity, was behind the former SGF’s outburst.
Meanwhile, Hayatu-Deen has ruled out taking legal action against the outcome of the primary despite earlier complaints about alleged irregularities. He said preserving party unity and strengthening the opposition remained more important than pursuing a court challenge.
The former aspirant acknowledged shortcomings in the conduct of the exercise but stated that his concerns had been communicated privately to party leaders. He urged his supporters to remain committed to democratic values and the broader goal of national development.
Hayatu-Deen added that while his presidential bid had ended, the mission of building a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria must continue beyond the contest.