FORMER Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, has announced his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleging that the party’s recently concluded primaries were massively manipulated in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Lawal, in a statement sent to News Points Nigeria, titled “The Kachalla Series Part 1,” accused the party leadership of orchestrating a predetermined process to ensure Atiku’s emergence, claiming election results were altered and legitimate winners replaced with loyalists of the former vice president.
The former SGF also declared that despite his criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he believes the incumbent could ultimately perform better as president than Atiku, whom he accused of representing a dangerous political and ideological agenda.
Explaining his decision to leave the party, Lawal alleged that the ADC primaries at all levels were rigged in favour of Atiku, whom he repeatedly referred to as “Kachalla Atiku.”
According to him, there was a “conspiracy of silence” within the party as members allegedly ignored what he described as widespread irregularities during the primary elections.
“I am exiting the ADC because its just concluded primaries were at all levels massively rigged in favour of Kachalla Abubakar Atiku,” he wrote.
He further alleged that in several instances where elections were conducted, victorious candidates were replaced with individuals loyal to Atiku’s camp.
“Results were just written or rewritten to favour 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,” he stated.
Lawal said remaining in the ADC would amount to endorsing what he described as Atiku’s “rigging machine” ahead of the 2027 general election.
He accused the former vice president and his associates of pursuing ethnic and religious domination, insisting that supporting Atiku would ultimately guarantee Tinubu a second term in office.
“For me, working for Kachalla Atiku means giving Tinubu an automatic ticket to a second term,” he said, adding that despite his reservations about the current administration, he believes Tinubu may end up being a better Nigerian president than Atiku.
The former SGF also launched a personal attack on Atiku, expressing concerns about what he claimed would be the implications of the former vice president’s family structure and business interests if elected president.
According to him, he joined the ADC in pursuit of national progress and could not in good conscience remain in a party he believes is being used to advance what he described as harmful interests.
Lawal further criticized northern political leaders and stakeholders whom he accused of facilitating Atiku’s emergence.
He expressed disappointment that those advocating for a northern presidency rallied behind Atiku instead of what he described as a more competent alternative capable of addressing poverty and insecurity in the region.
“I would have thought that when Northerners insist on a northern president they would be thinking of one that will stop the downward spiral into poverty and insecurity,” he stated.
Continuing his criticism, Lawal described Atiku as an “incompetent octogenarian” and predicted that the former vice president would eventually be defeated in the 2027 presidential election.
He argued that Atiku and his supporters would be unable to match the political machinery of President Tinubu, whom he described as possessing a more formidable electoral structure.
While announcing a temporary withdrawal from active politics, Lawal said he would return to his village farm and consult with like-minded associates on ways to prevent Atiku from emerging as president in 2027.
“I will be tweaking my plans for the future and consulting with like-minded colleagues on how to stop this incompetent octogenarian from coming close to the presidential office,” he said.