A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has criticised the presidential candidacy of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and questioned the party’s handling of its governorship primary in Adamawa State.
NEWSNGR reports that Lawal made the remarks in a Facebook post on Sunday titled “Kachalla Series Three,” in which he alleged that the party substituted the candidate who emerged from its governorship primary.
According to him, Engr. Umar Suleiman won the primary but was later replaced with Tukur Moddibo. Lawal alleged that the decision was influenced by ethnic considerations and accused Atiku of playing a role in the substitution.
The former SGF compared the process through which the ADC and the All Progressives Congress (APC) produced their candidates to buying products from online marketplace TEMU.
“As the story goes on the streets in the state, APC donated its gubernatorial candidate to the state having purchased him from TEMU, the cheap online marketplace, and it appears that the ADC too has just done likewise, aside giving to the nation a presidential candidate that looks more like he too was a cheap product from TEMU.” he wrote.
He also took a swipe at Atiku’s presidential candidacy, describing it in similarly disparaging terms. The claims were Lawal’s personal assessment of the candidates and the selection process.
Lawal described Suleiman as a “very competent and experienced gentleman” and argued that he represented a strong political option for the party.
He alleged that the decision to replace him was influenced by ethnic and religious considerations. The former SGF further claimed that Atiku exerted pressure on the party leadership in favour of Moddibo.
Neither Atiku nor the ADC had responded to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
Lawal Threatens Court Action
Lawal also alleged that the purported substitution breached provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, the ADC Constitution and the party’s primary election guidelines.
He said he would challenge the matter in court.
“This criminal substitution which violates the Electoral Act 2026, the ADC Constitution, and the ADC Primary Elections Guidelines will be tested in the courts and it will fail woefully,” Lawal said.
He maintained that the judiciary should determine whether the party acted within the law in selecting its governorship candidate.
Lawal predicted that voters in Adamawa State would resist what he described as an attempt to impose a candidate on them.
He argued that the electorate had other political parties and candidates to choose from ahead of the governorship election.
“The Adamawa masses trust God that both the ADC and APC will lose the gubernatorial elections in the state,” he said.
