Babachir Lawal joins NDC, backs Obi-Kwankwaso ticket for 2027

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress, about three months after leaving the African Democratic Congress over allegations of irregularities in its presidential primary.

Lawal formally joined the opposition party in Abuja on Tuesday, where he declared his support for the presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking after his admission into the NDC, the former SGF said Nigerians dissatisfied with insecurity, hunger, poverty and other challenges should support the party.

He said the country needed a political platform capable of addressing the problems confronting citizens and providing a different direction ahead of the 2027 elections.

“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,” Lawal said.

He urged Nigerians to support the NDC’s proposed Obi-Kwankwaso ticket, expressing confidence that the party would secure victory in the 2027 presidential election.

Receiving Lawal into the party, NDC National Leader and former Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, described him as an experienced political organiser and activist.

Dickson said Lawal’s experience in government and politics would be valuable to the party’s campaign structure.

“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,” Dickson said.

He said the party was pleased to have Lawal join its leadership structure and assigned him a role in coordinating its activities and campaigns in the North-East.

“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,” Dickson added.

Lawal’s move to the NDC follows his resignation from the ADC, where he had been involved in efforts surrounding the party’s presidential nomination process.

In his resignation statement, which he shared on Facebook, Lawal alleged that the ADC presidential primary had been manipulated to favour former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

He claimed that results from the primary were altered in favour of Atiku and his supporters and alleged that individuals declared winners in some areas where voting took place were subsequently replaced.

Lawal said the alleged irregularities made it impossible for him to continue his membership of the ADC.