‘No Evidence’: Atiku Camp Fires Back at Babachir Lawal Over ADC Rigging Claims - Newstrends
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‘No Evidence’: Atiku Camp Fires Back at Babachir Lawal Over ADC Rigging Claims

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2027 Election: Babachir Lawal Tells ADC to Dump Atiku, Questions Ex-VP's Silence on Insecurity
Babachir Lawal and Atiku Abubakar

‘No Evidence’: Atiku Camp Fires Back at Babachir Lawal Over ADC Rigging Claims

Abuja, Nigeria – The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a fierce counter-attack against former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, dismissing his allegations that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary was rigged as “unsubstantiated” and accusing him of political inconsistency. The response came after Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga gleefully declared that Lawal had inflicted more damage on Atiku than any criticism from the presidency could have achieved.

Lawal, in a Facebook post on Monday, June 1, 2026, announced his exit from the ADC over the outcome of the party’s presidential primary won by Atiku. His resignation came barely a week after the ADC primary held on May 25, 2026, which produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections. In his explosive resignation statement, Lawal claimed that ADC’s presidential primary was manipulated in favour of Atiku, describing the exercise as a “disgraceful charade” where results were “written or rewritten” to favour the former vice president and his inner circle.

Reacting to Lawal’s scathing attack, Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga took to X (formerly Twitter) to mock Atiku. “We have not fired any bullet against veteran presidential runner and northern hegemonic Abubakar Atiku yet. But a close ally just destroyed Atiku in many unflattering words. It’s a warning that the man should retire to Dubai quickly,” Onanuga wrote. The Presidency’s reaction underscores the political advantage the ruling party sees in the widening cracks within the opposition as Atiku attempts to build a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

In a swift and detailed response issued on behalf of Atiku Abubakar by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the camp of the former vice president rejected claims that the ADC presidential primary was manipulated, insisting that the exercise reflected the will of party members across the country. “Having chosen to malign a democratic process, insult thousands of ADC members nationwide, and make grave allegations without presenting a shred of evidence, it has become necessary to set the record straight,” the statement said. Shaibu argued that Lawal had failed to provide any proof to support his allegations of electoral manipulation. “The truth is straightforward. The ADC presidential primaries were conducted across thousands of wards and produced a clear and decisive outcome. What Mr Lawal has offered Nigerians is not evidence. He has produced no documents, no verifiable facts, no credible witnesses, and no proof whatsoever to support his sensational allegations.” The Atiku camp maintained that the primary results, which saw Atiku poll 1,846,370 votes against Rotimi Amaechi’s 504,117 votes and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen’s 177,120 votes, reflected the genuine choice of ADC members nationwide.

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The Atiku camp also accused the former SGF of political inconsistency, pointing to what it described as his acceptance of outcomes from the same primary process in other contests. “Mr Lawal has also failed to explain how the very same primary process he now dismisses as fraudulent somehow produced a result he appears perfectly willing to accept in Adamawa State, where his cousin, Omar Suleiman, emerged as the ADC governorship candidate. Nigerians are entitled to ask whether the process was only credible when it favoured his family and only rigged when it produced a presidential candidate he did not support.” This accusation of double standards struck at the heart of Lawal’s credibility as a critic of electoral malpractice. The Atiku camp argued that Lawal’s sudden concern for electoral integrity appeared selective, conveniently emerging only when the outcome did not favour his preferences while remaining silent when the same process benefited his family member.

The statement further took aim at Lawal’s public image as a critic of corruption and electoral malpractice, reviving controversies that trailed his tenure as Secretary to the Government of the Federation during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Lawal was removed from office in 2017 following allegations linked to contracts awarded through the Presidential Initiative on the North-East, a controversy that became widely known as the “grass-cutting scandal.” The Senate had called for his suspension and prosecution after an ad-hoc committee led by Shehu Sani indicted Lawal for receiving contracts to clear “invasive plant species” in Yobe State through a company, Rholavision Nigeria Limited, in which he had an interest. While President Buhari initially defended Lawal, he was eventually suspended in April 2017 pending investigation. Lawal has consistently denied any wrongdoing. “It is perhaps the greatest irony of this entire episode that Mr. Babachir Lawal now seeks to reinvent himself as Nigeria’s newest apostle of integrity, transparency, and democratic virtue,” the statement added, questioning his moral authority to lecture others on electoral integrity.

Atiku’s camp further argued that Lawal’s criticisms were driven more by dissatisfaction with the outcome of the primary than by genuine concerns about electoral integrity. “What appears to have truly unsettled Mr Lawal is not the conduct of the primaries but the outcome. Democracy guarantees participation, not victory. One cannot celebrate democracy when it produces a preferred result and suddenly condemn it as rigged when it does not.” The statement emphasized that political participation carries no guarantee of victory, and that Lawal’s resignation appeared to stem from personal disappointment rather than principled objection to the process. The statement also faulted what it described as Lawal’s resort to ethnic and religious sentiments in his criticisms of the primary. “Having failed to persuade ADC members to embrace his preferred candidate, he now seeks refuge in the divisive politics of identity,” Shaibu said, arguing that such rhetoric does little to address the country’s pressing challenges. “It creates no jobs, lowers no food prices, secures no communities, and offers no pathway out of the national crisis.”

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Defending Atiku’s political credentials, Shaibu maintained that the 2027 election would be decided by Nigerians based on issues of governance, economic recovery, and national security rather than internal party disputes. “The Nigerian people know Atiku Abubakar. They know his record in public service. They know his achievements in business. They know his commitment to national unity and economic reform,” he stressed. The statement concluded by urging Lawal to provide evidence for his allegations or withdraw them and apologize to the ADC leadership and members he had insulted.

The ADC presidential primary, held on May 25, 2026, at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, saw Atiku poll 1,846,370 votes to defeat former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who secured 504,117 votes, and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who received 177,120 votes. The Chairman of the Presidential Primary Election Committee, Chief Ikechi Emenike, said 2,527,977 registered party members participated in the exercise, while the Chief Returning Officer, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, declared Atiku as the winner. However, the primary had drawn criticism from some aspirants. Before the announcement of the results, Hayatu-Deen had publicly distanced himself from the process, citing concerns about alleged vote manipulation and the integrity of the exercise. Amaechi also raised concerns about irregularities in the process. Despite these initial protests, Atiku has since moved to consolidate the party. He visited both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen in separate meetings following the primary. During his meeting with Hayatu-Deen at the latter’s Lagos residence on Sunday, Atiku announced that both leaders had agreed to put the tensions arising from the primary election behind them and work together to position the ADC as a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Hayatu-Deen later ruled out challenging the outcome of the primary, citing party unity.

In his acceptance speech after the primary, Atiku described the exercise as transparent and credible. According to him, party members were allowed to freely express opinions and contest elective positions through a transparent democratic process. He said the primary was not about winners and losers but a collective effort to rescue Nigeria from misrule. “There are no winners and losers. Our people look up to us for leadership, and we are ready to lead,” he said. He also appealed to aggrieved members and fellow contestants, including Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen, to unite ahead of the 2027 general election. “I therefore appeal to all those who feel aggrieved to come back to our party and close ranks with the rest of us. In particular, I invite Chief Rotimi Amaechi and Alhaji Muhammad Hayatu-Deen to join me in this fight to save our democracy and our country,” Atiku stated.

Lawal, in his lengthy Facebook post, had claimed that the ADC primary was “massively rigged” at all levels in favour of Atiku. “I am exiting the ADC because its just concluded primaries were at all levels massively rigged in favour of Kachalla Abubakar Atiku. I sense a conspiracy of silence of which I want no part of,” Lawal wrote. “Most members of the party are behaving as if this is the normal thing to do. Results were just written or rewritten to favour him and his coven. Even where they allowed some semblance of an election to hold, the winners were simply replaced with members of his syndicate. In the real sense, it was a disgraceful charade.” Lawal further described Atiku as an “irredentist Fulani and religious hegemonist” and argued that President Bola Tinubu would perform better than Atiku if faced with a choice between the two. “For me, working for Kachalla Atiku means giving Tinubu an automatic ticket to a second term, which gives me nightmares. I believe Tinubu might, comparatively speaking, end up a better Nigerian president than Kachalla Atiku could ever be (as bad as Tinubu currently is and possibly could ever be).” He also vowed to work with like-minded associates to stop Atiku’s presidential ambition, declaring that he would retire to his village farm to watch Atiku “mercilessly out-rigged and beaten to pulp by Tinubu’s ruthless and superior rigging machine.”

Key takeaways from this political showdown include the following: Babachir Lawal resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on June 1, 2026, alleging the party’s presidential primary was “massively rigged” in favour of Atiku Abubakar; the Presidency, through spokesman Bayo Onanuga, reacted gleefully, stating that Lawal had “destroyed Atiku” more than any government criticism could have; Atiku’s camp, through spokesman Phrank Shaibu, dismissed Lawal’s allegations as baseless and accused him of political inconsistency and failing to provide evidence; the Atiku camp revived the “grass-cutting scandal” that led to Lawal’s removal as SGF in 2017, questioning his moral authority; Lawal was accused of double standards, as his cousin won the ADC governorship primary in Adamawa State without complaint from him; Atiku won the ADC primary with 1,846,370 votes, defeating Amaechi (504,117) and Hayatu-Deen (177,120); and Atiku has since held reconciliation meetings with both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen to unite the party ahead of 2027.

‘No Evidence’: Atiku Camp Fires Back at Babachir Lawal Over ADC Rigging Claims

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INEC recognises David Mark-led ADC, validates Atiku’s candidacy

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July 15, 2026

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INEC recognises David Mark-led ADC, validates Atiku's candidacy

INEC recognises David Mark-led ADC, validates Atiku’s candidacy

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that it will recognise only the candidates submitted by the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general elections, effectively clearing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and 470 other candidates to contest on the party’s platform.

The electoral commission’s clarification settles, for now, the dispute over which faction of the ADC is authorised to submit candidates for the 2027 polls, even as legal battles over the party’s internal leadership continue.

Speaking on the development, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed that the commission granted the David Mark-led leadership access to its secure candidate nomination portal following a Supreme Court judgment affirming the faction’s leadership of the party.

According to Haruna, the recognised leadership has already uploaded candidates for 471 elective positions, comprising two presidential candidates, 109 senatorial candidates, and 360 House of Representatives candidates.

“Yes, we gave the Mark-led faction the code based on the recent Supreme Court judgment that affirmed his leadership of the party, and the faction has since submitted most of its candidates for a total of 471—presidential (2), senatorial (109) and House of Representatives (360) constituencies,” Haruna said.

He added that the Supreme Court did not authorise INEC to receive nominations from the rival faction, stressing that the group had already lost its appeal seeking recognition.

“The court, however, did not say we should accept any submissions by the rival faction which, in any case, had lost its appeal for recognition,” he stated.

Haruna further disclosed that the commission would carefully study the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the latest Court of Appeal judgment before taking an official position on its implications for the party’s internal affairs.

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According to him, INEC will only make a formal decision after examining the details of the appellate court’s ruling.

The clarification followed claims by the rival ADC faction led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, which alleged that it had obtained access to INEC’s nomination portal and successfully uploaded candidates for the 2027 elections.

Reacting, the ADC welcomed INEC’s position and accused the rival faction of attempting to mislead Nigerians by circulating forged documents.

In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said INEC had confirmed that the document circulated by the rival faction claiming access to the commission’s nomination portal was forged.

According to the party, falsely claiming access to INEC’s restricted nomination platform is a serious offence capable of undermining public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The party therefore urged INEC and security agencies to investigate those behind the alleged forgery and prosecute anyone found culpable in accordance with the law.

The development comes shortly after the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier Federal High Court judgment restraining INEC from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC.

However, the party maintained that the appellate court’s decision relates only to the conduct of ward, local government and state congresses, insisting that it has no effect on the direct primary elections through which its presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives candidates emerged.

The ADC said the ruling does not invalidate the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate or affect the validity of candidates already nominated for the 2027 elections.

Political observers say INEC’s latest clarification provides greater certainty over the party’s candidate nomination process, although the broader legal dispute over the ADC’s leadership structure is expected to continue in court.

With the nomination process now largely concluded, attention is expected to shift to the resolution of pending litigation, campaign preparations and political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The recognition of the David Mark-led ADC is also viewed as a significant boost for the opposition coalition that adopted the party as its platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next presidential election.

As legal proceedings continue, analysts believe the courts will ultimately determine the outstanding issues surrounding the party’s internal leadership, while INEC remains guided by existing judicial pronouncements in administering the electoral process.

INEC recognises David Mark-led ADC, validates Atiku’s candidacy

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Appeal Court upholds judgment barring INEC from recognising ADC state congresses

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3 days ago

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July 13, 2026

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Appeal Court upholds judgment barring INEC from recognising ADC state congresses

Appeal Court upholds judgment barring INEC from recognising ADC state congresses

The Court of Appeal has upheld a Federal High Court judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a 2-1 majority decision delivered in Abuja on Monday, a three-member panel of the appellate court dismissed the appeal challenging the earlier judgment, affirming that the Federal High Court acted within the law when it issued the restraining orders.

The lead judgment, delivered by Justice Okon Abang and supported by Justice Donatus Okorowo, held that the appeal lacked merit and reaffirmed the validity of the lower court’s ruling. However, Justice Abba Mohammed dissented, maintaining that the dispute was an internal affair of the political party and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the court.

The legal battle stemmed from a suit filed by seven aggrieved members of the ADC, including elected state chairmen and officials, who challenged the dissolution of the party’s state executive committees and the appointment of caretaker committees to organise state congresses.

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The plaintiffs argued that the David Mark-led caretaker committee lacked the constitutional authority under the ADC Constitution to dissolve elected state executives or appoint committees to conduct state congresses.

They also contended that the actions of the caretaker leadership violated the party’s constitution and sought an order preventing INEC from recognising any congresses conducted by the appointed committees.

In its judgment, the Court of Appeal agreed that the issues raised went beyond an ordinary internal party disagreement because they involved the constitutional responsibilities of INEC under Nigeria’s electoral framework.

The appellate court ruled that where allegations involve breaches of constitutional provisions and statutory obligations imposed on the electoral commission, the courts have jurisdiction to determine such disputes.

The judgment affirmed the earlier decision of the Federal High Court, which restrained INEC from recognising, monitoring or participating in any ADC state congresses organised by committees appointed by the caretaker leadership pending the resolution of the substantive issues.

The court also upheld the lower court’s order preserving the tenure of the party’s elected state executive committees, declaring that their four-year mandate remains valid until lawfully terminated in accordance with the party’s constitution.

Additionally, the appellate court restrained the caretaker leadership from interfering with the functions of the elected state executives pending the determination of the substantive suit.

In the minority judgment, Justice Abba Mohammed argued that the matter was purely an internal affair of the political party and should not have been entertained by the Federal High Court.

However, the majority judgment prevailed, meaning the orders of the trial court remain binding unless overturned by the Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeal also awarded ₦10 million in costs against the appellant in favour of the respondents.

The ruling represents another significant development in the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress, a party that has recently attracted national attention following the emergence of a coalition of opposition politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Legal experts say the judgment reinforces the principle that while political parties enjoy internal autonomy, their activities remain subject to judicial scrutiny whenever constitutional provisions, electoral laws or the statutory responsibilities of INEC are involved.

The decision also means that INEC cannot lawfully recognise or act on the outcome of any disputed ADC state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership until the legal issues are finally resolved.

Observers believe the judgment could influence the party’s preparations for future congresses, conventions and candidate selection processes as political realignments continue ahead of the next general elections.

Appeal Court upholds judgment barring INEC from recognising ADC state congresses

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Osun governorship election: Governor Adeleke invites EU to monitor August 15 poll

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4 days ago

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July 13, 2026

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Osun governorship election: Governor Adeleke invites EU to monitor August 15 poll
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and Austrian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Peter Guschelbauer

Osun governorship election: Governor Adeleke invites EU to monitor August 15 poll

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has appealed to the European Union (EU) to deploy an election observation mission for the forthcoming Osun governorship election, saying international monitoring will strengthen transparency, promote compliance with Nigeria’s electoral laws and boost public confidence in the democratic process.

The governor made the appeal while receiving the Austrian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Peter Guschelbauer, at the Government House in Osogbo, as preparations intensify for the August 15 governorship election, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most significant off-cycle elections ahead of the 2027 general election.

Adeleke said the European Union has built a strong reputation for promoting credible elections through its observation missions in democratic countries and expressed confidence that its presence in Osun would further enhance the credibility of the poll.

According to the governor, international observers play an important role in encouraging compliance with the Electoral Act, promoting transparency and reassuring voters that their votes will count.

“I urge the European Union to take special interest in the forthcoming Osun State election. The observer intervention of the European Union will strengthen compliance with democratic practices and the Electoral Act for a free and fair poll,” Adeleke said.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring a peaceful, transparent and credible election, assuring residents, political parties and other stakeholders that the state government would continue to provide an enabling environment for all participants in the electoral process.

He stressed that democracy can only flourish where elections are conducted fairly and peacefully, urging politicians and their supporters to avoid violence, intimidation, vote-buying and other actions capable of undermining the credibility of the election.

Adeleke also called on security agencies to remain professional, impartial and vigilant throughout the election period to guarantee the safety of voters, election officials and observers.

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The governor reiterated that his administration remains committed to respecting the outcome of a credible electoral process and ensuring that the will of the people of Osun State prevails.

Beyond electoral matters, Adeleke highlighted the state’s enormous investment potential, inviting Austrian investors and businesses to explore opportunities in agriculture, renewable energy, solid minerals, technology, education, tourism and vocational training.

He said the Osun State Government has continued to implement reforms aimed at creating a business-friendly environment capable of attracting both domestic and foreign investment, stimulating economic growth and creating employment opportunities for residents.

“We are ready to work with your country and Austrian businesses in exploring these opportunities for mutual growth and prosperity,” the governor said.

Responding, Austrian Ambassador Peter Guschelbauer reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to promoting democratic governance, credible elections and respect for the rule of law across partner countries.

The ambassador expressed optimism that the Osun governorship election would be conducted in accordance with Nigeria’s electoral laws and democratic principles, noting that the poll would receive considerable attention because it is the last major governorship election before the 2027 general election.

He urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct their campaigns peacefully, respect the Electoral Act and avoid actions capable of threatening the stability of the state.

Guschelbauer also commended the Adeleke administration’s governance efforts and spoke about the longstanding cultural relationship between Austria and Osun State, particularly through the internationally recognised Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

According to him, Austria remains interested in supporting cultural preservation, tourism development and stronger economic cooperation with Osun State through partnerships with Austrian businesses and development institutions.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed August 15 for the Osun governorship election, with 14 political parties expected to participate in the contest.

The election is expected to attract widespread national and international attention as political parties intensify campaigns to convince voters ahead of the poll.

Political observers believe the deployment of domestic and international election observers, combined with adequate security and strict adherence to the Electoral Act, will further strengthen the credibility, transparency and peaceful conduct of the election.

As political activities gather momentum, stakeholders have continued to urge all contestants to embrace issue-based campaigns and place the interest of the people above partisan considerations to ensure another successful democratic exercise in Osun State.

Osun governorship election: Governor Adeleke invites EU to monitor August 15 poll

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