Politics
Babachir Lawal Govs, APC leaders secretly backing opposition
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By Francesca Hangeior
A former secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has accused some governors and top members of the All Progressives Congress are quietly supporting an opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Lawal, who served under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari during his first term, revealed this during an interview on Beyond the Headlines aired Tuesday on TVC News.
He said that although these people have not spoken publicly, they believe in the coalition’s plan to remove the current government.
“Yes, there are APC members working with the coalition], and they will speak for themselves. Some might not be brave or bold enough to do it the way I have, but there are very many, some tell me, including some governors,” he said.
He said he had been working against the APC from within for a long time because the party was full of intimidation and didn’t allow free speech.
He stated, “We’re in a democracy; even if you’re in a political party, you can choose to support a better candidate in another political party. I’m learning a template from APC: this template of remaining in one party and working for another.
“This is a script APC developed, which Wike has enhanced and grown beyond imagination. Wike is our leader in this type of politics.
“The APC has never been united; it’s been a party that has been intimidated and bullied into silence. No internal cohesion; you cannot even advise. Even advice is taken as anti-party. So, many people got frustrated that you cannot talk truth to power in APC.”
He said many people who once supported President Bola Tinubu are now disappointed and want a better alternative.
“A lot of us are people whose primary aim is to replace this government with a better government that serves Nigerians better. If you want to serve this country better, you need to do so from the angle of politics, policies, governance, and leadership. You need to replace the non-performing party,” he said.
“So, there’s nothing wrong if people who were hitherto in APC, allies of Tinubu, have been disappointed in the way he has chosen to run his government or allow others to run his government. There’s nothing wrong if we decide to come together to make a change.”
Lawal also mocked the recent wave of politicians joining the APC, saying most of them are only trying to protect their political careers.
“It’s true the governors are decamping. Why are they decamping to the APC? Because they know the president has given himself an automatic ticket, there will be no primaries, and no other candidate will be allowed to raise their head.
“Most of the governors understand that this government is a government that wrote results to become what they are. So, they can write you out even in your own convention in an opposition party.
“So, all these governors are moving to APC to secure their next elections. However, the governors are moving, but nobody is moving with them; the people are not.”
Lawal also said the coalition is not led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, explaining that it is a team effort by different political figures with the aim of unseating the ruling party.
“The coalition is not about Atiku. I’ve attended meetings tilted towards Obi, Atiku, and Amaechi. Atiku has never spoken in all our meetings, except the last meeting, where he was asked to speak.
“Before we started the coalition, we told everybody that has political ambition to lock it down in a cupboard because the understanding is that no one person can defeat an incumbent government.
“Peter Obi understands that with his Obedient movement, he cannot win this election on a standalone basis. Ameachi understands, and Atiku too; we must have a coalition, get together, join forces, join ideas, and work to defeat this government.”
The leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has formally welcomed former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, and former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei, into the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dickson disclosed this in a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Thursday, May 28, 2026, where he also announced that the party had granted both politicians waivers to participate in the NDC senatorial primaries scheduled for Friday.
According to him, Omo-Agege and Ochei would contest in their respective senatorial districts under the platform of the party.
“It was a pleasure to warmly receive Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, CFR, former Deputy Senate President, into our great party, alongside Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.
“I am also pleased to announce that the NDC has not only received them warmly but has equally granted them waivers to contest in the senatorial primaries in their respective districts tomorrow,” Dickson stated.
The latest development comes amid ongoing political realignments in Delta State following Omo-Agege’s recent resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Earlier on Thursday, Omo-Agege officially confirmed his defection to the NDC and declared his intention to contest the Delta Central Senatorial seat in the 2027 elections.
Multiple reports also confirmed that the NDC leadership approved waivers for both Omo-Agege and Ochei to participate in the primaries despite their recent entry into the party.
Dickson explained that the decision followed weeks of consultations aimed at strengthening the NDC’s structure in the South-South region and across Nigeria.
“This development is the result of several weeks of consultations aimed at strengthening the foundations of our party in the South-South region and across the country,” he added.
He further urged party members and supporters to embrace the new entrants and work together toward the party’s electoral ambitions ahead of 2027.
The defection of Omo-Agege, a former APC governorship candidate in Delta State, alongside the movement of other political figures into the NDC, is expected to reshape political calculations in the state as parties intensify preparations for the next election cycle.
Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar has taken what appears to be an unassailable lead in the 2027 presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which started yesterday, Monday, May 25, 2026.
He as so far won over 160,000 votes from three states, with Amaechi winning only one state and garnering about 7,000 votes, while Hayatu-Deen has yet to win a state. Atiku has won Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara, while Amaechi won Ebonyi.
The Zamfara chapter of ADC over-night declared Atiku as the winner of its presidential primary election in the state.
The Chairman of the ADC Presidential Primary Election Committee and Returning Officer for the exercise, Namadi Musa, announced the results on Monday in Gusau.
Musa said Abubakar polled 60,500 votes to defeat two other aspirants, Dr Mohammed Hayatuddeen, who scored 446 votes, and Rotimi Amaechi, who secured 191 votes.
He explained that the primary was conducted across all 147 wards in the 14 Local Government Areas of Zamfara in line with the party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2026.
According to him, 63,484 party members were registered for the exercise, and 61,137 votes were cast.
“Having fulfilled the ADC guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2026, and having scored the highest votes, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is hereby returned as the party’s presidential candidate in Zamfara,” Musa declared.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Collation Officer for the Zamfara ADC Presidential Primary, Mikailu Barau, handed the collated results to the returning officer after the 14 local government party chairmen declared results from their areas.
Musa commended party members and stakeholders for their support, noting that the exercise was conducted peacefully across the state.
The collation and announcement of results were done in the presence of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and other stakeholders.
NAN further reports that the results were announced in the presence of officials from the Election and Political Party Monitoring Department of the INEC.
The officials said they monitored every stage of the process, from the State Assembly and Governorship primaries to the House of Representatives, Senatorial, and Presidential primaries.
The head of the INEC team, Mr Lawal Aliyu, advised party officials to adhere strictly to the commission’s guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2026.
He said INEC would remain neutral and ensure a level playing field for all contestants in the electoral process.
Aliyu also urged stakeholders to mobilise prospective voters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to participate in the general elections.
NAN reports that the ADC State Chairman, Shehu Maishanu, local government chairmen of the party, and candidates for State Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senatorial seats attended the event.
In Yobe, Atiku won the presidential primary with 44,841 votes.
Hajiya Ma’am Kyari, chairperson of the electoral committee in Yobe, announced the result on Monday in Damaturu.
Kyari said Mr Rotimi Amaechi secured 300 votes, while Mr Mohamed Hayatudeen polled 365 votes during the exercise.
She declared Atiku winner after securing the highest number of valid votes cast in the primary election.
“Having scored the highest number of valid votes cast, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is hereby declared winner of the ADC presidential primary election in Yobe State,” she said.
Kyari described the exercise as peaceful and conducted in line with the party’s guidelines.
She commended party members, officials and security agencies for ensuring a smooth process across the state.
The chairperson also praised aspirants and their supporters for maintaining decorum throughout the exercise.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Kassim Geidam, ADC governorship candidate in Yobe, described the primary as peaceful and successful.
Geidam said party supporters and stakeholders across Zones A, B and C actively participated in the process.
He commended party executives, security agencies and traditional rulers for supporting the peaceful conduct of the election.
The governorship candidate also appreciated media practitioners for their professionalism during the exercise.
Yesterday evening, Atiku had won the ADC presidential primary in Sokoto State by a wide margin.
Announcing the results on Monday, Chief Collation Officer, Prof. Aminu Abubakar, said Atiku secured 68,823 votes across the 23 local government areas.
Prof. Abubakar said 69,434 votes were cast during the exercise conducted across the state.
According to him, Amaechi, polled 292 votes.
But in Ebonyi, Amaechi secured 6,050 votes to emerge victorious, while Hayatu-Ddeen garnered 4,840 votes to come second, with Atiku coming a distant third with 1,210 votes. (Based largely on NAN reports)
An African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi, has given condition to question the party’s ongoing presidential primary.
Amaechi disclosed that he would react and question the process of the primary election if it’s not free and fair.
He spoke to journalists after casting his vote at the ongoing ADC’s presidential primary in his Ward of Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to Amaechi: “It was a huge number of turn out, first there was celebration and dancing, then we got the INEC people involved and I did cast my vote and left the place.
“I was monitoring the country state-by-state where I was, I hope the system would be transparent as it was in my village, if it’s transparent I would accept the result but if it’s not free and fair a lot of us would react.
“The answer is yes, If the other person wins, I will work with him but if the process is not free and fair, I would question it.”
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