Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has disclosed that Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso initially had reservations about former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar's role in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). According to Lawal, he played a significant role in convincing both politicians to join the opposition party ahead of the 2027 elections. Lawal made these claims during an interview on Arise Television while recounting the negotiations that led to Obi and Kwankwaso's involvement with the ADC.
Lawal revealed that Obi was initially hesitant to join the ADC but eventually agreed after several discussions. He stated that he attended every meeting of the ADC and was instrumental in persuading Obi to commit to joining the party. Lawal quoted himself as saying, "I attended every meeting of the ADC, and at one time, Peter Obi was playing in and out. I was the one who finally dragged Peter into the ADC and committed him to joining the ADC."
Rabiu Kwankwaso also had concerns about Atiku's involvement in the ADC, according to Lawal. Kwankwaso allegedly feared that Atiku's presence could negatively impact the party's prospects. Lawal claimed that he and others had to convince Kwankwaso to join the ADC despite his reservations.
Obi had similar concerns, particularly regarding the conduct of the ADC presidential primary. Lawal explained that Obi preferred a consensus arrangement, arguing that an open primary could favour candidates with greater financial resources and political influence. This was a major factor in Obi and Kwankwaso's eventual exit from the ADC.
According to Lawal, the failure to agree on a consensus candidate contributed to Obi and Kwankwaso's departure from the ADC. He claimed that both politicians later became convinced that the primary process was being tilted in favour of Atiku. This development led to their exit from the party.
Lawal, who had previously been an ally of Atiku, left the ADC after the former vice-president emerged as the party's presidential candidate following the primary election. He had earlier alleged that the primary was manipulated, a claim disputed by Atiku's camp.
Lawal has since joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), where he declared support for the party's Peter Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
Key points
- Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso had initial reservations about Atiku Abubakar's influence in the African Democratic Congress.
- Babachir Lawal played a significant role in convincing Obi and Kwankwaso to join the ADC despite their concerns.
- Obi and Kwankwaso eventually exited the ADC due to disagreements over the party's presidential primary process.
