RismadarVoice Reporters, July 26, 2026
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has predicted that the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, will be defeated in the 2027 general election.
Lawal made the remarks during an interview on Symfoni TV, where he also assessed the prospects of leading presidential contenders ahead of the election.
According to the former SGF, the presidential ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), comprising Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, currently has a stronger chance of securing victory than other contenders.
Expressing his personal opinion, Lawal said he believes Atiku would not emerge victorious in the next presidential election.
“Atiku Abubakar will definitely lose the 2027 election. I pray he loses. I’m not the only one who wants this, but he will surely lose,” he said.
He added that, based on his own assessment, the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket has about a 70 per cent chance of winning the election.
On President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s prospects, Lawal estimated the incumbent’s chances at 50 per cent, while describing Obi as a politician who consistently seeks to act in what he believes is the right way.
The former SGF’s comments come against the backdrop of his strained relationship with Atiku and the leadership of the ADC.
Lawal had resigned from the party following disagreements over its internal processes and has repeatedly alleged that the party’s presidential primary election, which produced Atiku as its candidate, was manipulated. The ADC has not accepted those allegations.
His latest remarks are expected to further fuel political debates as parties and aspirants intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Atiku Abubakar nor the leadership of the African Democratic Congress had responded to Lawal’s latest comments. Similarly, there was no immediate reaction from Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso or the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
