Fresh Revelation Rocks Opposition Camp As Lawal Speaks On Kwankwaso, Atiku

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has said Rabiu Kwankwaso was initially sceptical about joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC) because of the presence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the party.

Lawal made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where he discussed his involvement in the opposition coalition and the events surrounding the formation of the ADC political platform.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Lawal claimed that he played a role in persuading both Peter Obi and Kwankwaso to join the ADC. He said Kwankwaso had reservations about the possibility of achieving meaningful political progress within the party if Atiku was also part of the arrangement.

Lawal said he participated in meetings leading to the formation of the ADC coalition and was involved in efforts to bring Obi into the political platform.

He added that the coalition also engaged Kwankwaso, but according to Lawal, the former Kano State governor remained concerned about Atiku’s involvement in the party.

Lawal further stated that he was among those involved in the formation of the ADC coalition in July 2025, which eventually produced former Senate President David Mark as the party’s national chairman.

However, Lawal later left the ADC following the party’s presidential primary. He subsequently alleged that the primary process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate was manipulated in his favour.

Lawal has since joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), where he declared support for the Peter Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections. His move came about three months after he resigned from the ADC.

His latest comments provide further insight into his account of the internal discussions surrounding the opposition coalition and the eventual emergence of separate political platforms ahead of the 2027 elections.