Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has claimed that he played a key role in persuading Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Lawal made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where he recounted negotiations that preceded the entry of the two politicians into the opposition coalition.
According to Lawal, Obi was initially reluctant to commit to the ADC because of concerns surrounding the party’s leadership and the proposed presidential primary. He said he attended meetings with the former Anambra State governor and eventually persuaded him to join.
“I was the one who finally dragged Peter into the ADC and committed him to joining the ADC,” Lawal said.
He also claimed that Kwankwaso had reservations about joining the ADC because of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s presence in the coalition.
“We also convinced Kwankwaso to join the ADC,” Lawal said, adding that the former Kano governor feared that Atiku’s involvement could undermine the coalition’s prospects.
Lawal said Obi preferred a consensus arrangement for selecting the coalition’s presidential candidate, arguing that a competitive primary could favour politicians with greater financial resources and political influence.
According to him, attempts to reach a consensus eventually failed, while disagreements over the primary process contributed to Obi and Kwankwaso leaving the ADC. Lawal later resigned from the party after Atiku emerged as its presidential candidate and alleged that the primary had been manipulated in Atiku’s favour. The allegations were disputed by Atiku’s camp.
The disclosure is significant as it sheds further light on the negotiations and disagreements that shaped Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of the 2027 election.
Lawal has since joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), where he declared support for the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket. The NDC formally received him into the party in Abuja on September 22, with National Leader Seriake Dickson assigning him a leadership role in campaign activities in the North-East.
His latest account adds another layer to the continuing political realignments among opposition figures as parties prepare for the 2027 presidential contest.
