RismadarVoice Reporters
September 22, 2026
The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress, about three months after quitting the African Democratic Congress over allegations surrounding the party’s presidential primary.
Lawal formally joined the NDC in Abuja on Tuesday and declared his support for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket featuring Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Speaking after his unveiling, the former SGF said Nigerians concerned about insecurity, hunger, poverty and other challenges confronting the country should support the NDC.
Lawal said the party represented a platform through which he believed the country’s current challenges could be addressed.
He said he was optimistic that the NDC would achieve its objective of producing Obi as president and Kwankwaso as vice president in the 2027 election.
Receiving Lawal into the party, NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, described him as an experienced political organiser and mobiliser.
Dickson said Lawal’s experience in Nigerian politics would be valuable to the party’s activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He announced that Lawal would play a leadership role in coordinating the party’s activities and campaigns in the North-East.
Dickson urged the former SGF to provide guidance and help address challenges that could arise in the course of the party’s mobilisation and campaign activities in the region.
Lawal’s latest political move follows his resignation from the ADC in June 2026.
He had alleged that the party’s presidential primary was manipulated in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, claiming that results were altered and that some declared winners were replaced.
Lawal said at the time that he could not remain in a party whose primary process he considered fundamentally flawed.
The allegations were disputed by Atiku’s camp, which said Lawal had not provided evidence to substantiate his claims.
The ADC subsequently declared Atiku the winner of its presidential primary, with Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen finishing behind him.
Lawal, who served as SGF under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has now joined the NDC as the opposition party begins preparations for the 2027 general elections.
