Fresh Crisis Rocks NDC As Babachir Lawal Alleges Atiku Support Among Candidates

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has accused the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Adamawa State, Aisha Binani, of allegedly supporting African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar rather than the NDC presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Lawal made the allegation on Monday in a post on his official Facebook page amid a dispute over his recent appointment as the NDC’s leader in the North-East. The development followed a joint position by six NDC governorship candidates in the region rejecting his appointment and stating that they would not recognise him in the role.

The six candidates from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe had argued that Lawal’s appointment was made without consultation with them and other stakeholders involved in building the party’s structures in the region. They described their position as collective and final.

Reacting to the development, Lawal alleged that Binani was behind the protest against his appointment. He further accused her of backing Atiku rather than the NDC’s presidential ticket involving Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Lawal also stated that the NDC governorship candidates in Gombe and Taraba had contacted him to distance themselves from the statement opposing his appointment. He said he had chosen to leave the matter to the national leadership of the party.

The former SGF described the opposition to his appointment as a protest allegedly organised by what he referred to as a “female pretender” to the Adamawa governorship candidacy, without providing further details in the statement.

Lawal said he was not concerned by the opposition, stressing that the decision on his regional leadership role should be handled by the NDC’s national leadership, which brought him into the party.

He explained that he neither requested nor received a formal offer for the position before his appointment was announced, but said he accepted the role in good faith as a mark of respect for the party’s leaders and presidential candidates.

The dispute comes shortly after Lawal joined the NDC and was assigned a leadership responsibility covering the North-East. The six governorship candidates subsequently called on the party’s national leadership to review the appointment and engage stakeholders in the region.

Lawal’s allegation against Binani remains a claim made by him, and the reports reviewed do not establish that she is backing Atiku or that she organised the protest against his appointment.