Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has said he has ruled out supporting both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Lawal made the disclosure while speaking during a television interview on Tuesday, where he also renewed his criticism of the ADC presidential primary that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s candidate.
The former SGF alleged that the exercise was manipulated and maintained that the outcome announced by the party did not reflect the actual votes recorded in some areas.
According to him, documents in his possession show significant differences between results obtained at the local government level and those eventually presented at the party’s national collation centre in Abuja.
“First of all, it was rigged,” Lawal said.
He claimed that in one local government result sheet available to him, businessman and presidential aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen scored far more votes than Atiku, but the figures were allegedly altered before they reached Abuja.
“I have evidence. I have evidence from a primary, from a local government, for example, the results of the election returned was Hayatu-Deen had 20,000 votes, whereas Atiku Abubakar had 1,000 and something votes,” he stated.
“But the result that ended up in Abuja was reversed, was inverted.”
Lawal further alleged that concerns were privately raised by some party officials involved in the collation process. He claimed that one returning officer defended the alleged alteration of results on the grounds that it would have been embarrassing for Atiku to lose in his home state.
The former ADC North-East Vice Chairman also questioned the delay in transmitting results from Adamawa State to the national collation centre.
“It took our own returning officer close to three days before the results were submitted in Abuja. What were they doing with the results?” he asked.
Despite his criticisms, Lawal insisted that his position was not driven by personal hostility toward Atiku. He argued that credible leadership can only emerge from a transparent electoral process.
“If I think Atiku had won free and fair and square, I’ll kill myself supporting him, campaigning for him,” he said.
According to him, flaws in the process used to select leaders often affect the quality of governance that follows.
“If the process of emergence is fraudulent, is defective, the chances of producing good leaders will not be there,” he added.
Lawal also stood by previous remarks that attracted public criticism over their ethnic and religious implications. When asked whether he would retract the comments, he responded firmly: “I will not.”
He explained that his views were influenced by what he described as years of discrimination against him as a Christian from the Kilba ethnic group in Adamawa State.
The former SGF used the opportunity to praise Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, describing him as the most qualified among the aspirants who sought the ADC presidential ticket.
“By all standards, the Nigeria that we want to bequeath to another leader today, of the three, no one comes close to Hayatu-Deen,” he said.
Lawal highlighted Hayatu-Deen’s experience in the corporate sector and economic management, arguing that competence and capacity should remain the key factors in choosing the country’s next leader.
He also revealed that he has largely stepped away from active partisan politics and has not decided who to support in the next presidential election.
“I have now retired from politics. I’m not canvassing for votes for anybody,” he stated.
“I have one vote to myself that I keep to myself. I might even vote for Omoyele Sowore.”
Speaking further on possible political alignments ahead of 2027, Lawal said he was yet to make up his mind regarding any alliance that may involve Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
However, he made it clear that he has already crossed both the APC and ADC off his list of options.
“I’m still waiting. At least I’ve made a choice so far. I eliminated APC. Now I’ve eliminated ADC. I’m waiting for other people to throw up their candidates,” he said.