RismadarVoice Reporters, June 3, 2026
A political ally of African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticised former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, following his resignation from the party and allegations that its presidential primary was manipulated in Atiku’s favour.
Speaking during an interview on Trust TV, Oladimeji Fabiyi accused Lawal of lacking integrity and questioned the timing of his criticisms against the former vice president.
Fabiyi’s remarks came in response to Lawal’s claims that the ADC presidential primary was rigged to produce Atiku as the party’s candidate and his assertion that the former vice president was unfit to lead Nigeria.
The Atiku ally argued that Lawal had actively participated in the coalition-building process that preceded the ADC primaries and should have raised concerns earlier if he believed there were fundamental issues with Atiku’s candidacy.
Fabiyi also rejected Lawal’s criticism of Atiku on ethnic grounds, noting that the former SGF was already aware of Atiku’s background during their political engagements within the party.
In a more pointed attack, Fabiyi alleged that Lawal played a role in religious tensions that affected parts of northern Nigeria in the 1980s, claiming that his past actions should be scrutinised when assessing his credibility. He challenged Lawal to publicly dispute the allegations if he believed they were inaccurate.
The exchange marks a further escalation in the fallout from Lawal’s departure from the ADC and highlights growing divisions within political circles ahead of the 2027 general election.
Lawal had earlier announced his resignation from the ADC, citing dissatisfaction with the party’s presidential primary process and describing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a better option than Atiku.
