By 247ureports.com
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has alleged that Atiku Abubakar, now the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, tasked him with persuading Peter Obi to join the ADC as his running mate, in a deal that would have included a constitutional amendment for a single six-year presidential term.
The Claim
Speaking in a recent media interview, Lawal said Atiku called him, said he wanted to work with him, and gave him the assignment of bringing Obi into the ADC as vice-presidential candidate. According to Lawal, the arrangement would have seen Atiku and Obi serve together for four years, during which they would amend the Constitution to provide for a single six-year presidential term, from which Obi would subsequently benefit.
Lawal said he took the proposal to Obi in person, but the former Anambra governor told him he was not interested.
Obi Disputes the Account
Obi has pushed back on the narrative. He has denied rejecting any vice-presidential offer from Atiku, saying he does not know where such a claim originated. The two accounts are now in open conflict, and no documentary evidence of the alleged proposal or of Lawal’s meeting with Obi has been made public.
Lawal’s Shifting Allegiances
The claim comes a week after Lawal formally joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on Tuesday, September 22, endorsing the Obi–Rabiu Kwankwaso ticket and receiving a leadership role covering the North East from NDC National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson. It also follows his June exit from the ADC, when he accused the party of manipulating its presidential primary in favour of Atiku, a charge the party has disputed. Lawal has belonged to about six political parties since 2002, and had earlier questioned Obi’s commitment to the ADC in May, arguing he joined the coalition late.
In the same interview, Lawal also made sharp personal remarks about Atiku, which are his own characterisation and were not supported with evidence.
Background: A Coalition That Fractured
The allegation adds a new layer to the history of negotiations inside the opposition bloc, which initially brought Atiku, Obi and others together under the ADC before the alliance broke apart, leaving Obi and Atiku on separate platforms ahead of 2027. Earlier reports had suggested that Atiku’s camp floated a single-term arrangement with Obi as running mate, though Obi’s allies declined to confirm any such agreement at the time. Obi previously served as Atiku’s running mate on the PDP ticket in 2019.
Unverified
The claims about Atiku’s alleged proposal and Lawal’s meeting with Obi rest solely on Lawal’s own account. As of this report, 247ureports.com had not located a response from Atiku or the ADC.
