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Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has claimed that he played a significant role in persuading former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to join the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Lawal made the claim during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, while recounting the negotiations and political realignments that preceded the formation of the opposition coalition.
The former SGF said he was among the founding members of the coalition that came together around the ADC in July 2025 and that he attended virtually all the meetings leading to the party’s emergence as a platform for opposition politicians.
According to Lawal, Obi was initially hesitant about committing himself fully to the ADC, but he eventually persuaded the former Anambra governor to join.
“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,” he said.
Lawal also claimed that he and others persuaded Kwankwaso to join the ADC, although, according to him, the former Kano governor remained concerned about the presence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in the party.
“We also convinced Kwankwaso to join the ADC, but he was always afraid that with Atiku Abubakar there, nothing good would ever come out of the ADC,” Lawal said.
The ADC coalition subsequently produced former Senate President David Mark as national chairman as the opposition realignment gathered momentum.
However, the political alliance later fractured, with Lawal resigning from the ADC in June 2026 following the party’s presidential primary.
At the time, Lawal alleged that the primary process had been manipulated in favour of Atiku Abubakar. His allegations were disputed by Atiku’s camp.
Lawal subsequently moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, where he was formally received by the party’s leadership in Abuja on September 22.
At the event, he declared his support for the NDC’s presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 election.
NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, described Lawal as an experienced political organiser and mobiliser and assigned him a role in coordinating the party’s political and campaign activities in the North-East and North-Central regions.
Lawal’s latest account of his role in bringing Obi and Kwankwaso into the ADC comes against the backdrop of the continuing movement of opposition politicians between parties as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
His own political journey has, in recent months, mirrored the wider realignment: from the ADC coalition, through his resignation over the party’s primary process, to his subsequent entry into the NDC and endorsement of the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.
Babachir Lawal served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was involved in the opposition coalition that coalesced around the ADC in 2025 but resigned from the party in June 2026 after alleging irregularities in its presidential primary.
He joined the NDC on September 22, 2026, and publicly backed Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso as the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
