A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Babachir Lawal, has criticised former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, alleging that he never demonstrated full commitment to the party prior to his recent defection.
Lawal, who served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, made the remarks during a Prime Time interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, just days after Obi exited the ADC alongside former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Both politicians had cited persistent internal crises, including protracted legal battles and leadership disputes within the ADC, as reasons for their decision to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
However, Lawal dismissed those explanations, suggesting instead that Obi’s disengagement from the party had been evident from the outset.
“Peter Obi joined the coalition after it had already been in motion for quite some time,” Lawal said. “From the beginning, we never truly felt his heart was in the party.”
He revealed that the ADC leadership made significant concessions in a bid to accommodate Obi, including allowing him to single-handedly nominate the party’s organising secretary—an offer he said was not extended to any other member.
According to Lawal, the move was intended to reassure Obi of the party’s internal transparency and electoral processes, given the strategic importance of the organising secretary role. Despite this, he said concerns about Obi’s level of commitment persisted.
“We believed that giving him confidence in that office would assure him he could not be sidelined. But even then, we suspected his heart was not fully with us,” he added.
The former SGF went further to attribute Obi’s exit to what he described as a reluctance to participate in competitive party primaries.
“I think it is fear,” Lawal said. “A politician who fears elections has no business being one. He prefers consensus arrangements, and that consensus must favour him.”
Lawal emphasised that the ADC leadership had been focused on maintaining internal fairness among its members, many of whom he described as political heavyweights with varying ambitions.
“The only way to move forward in a party like ours is to create a level playing field for everyone,” he noted.
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Addressing suggestions that his past support for Obi during the 2023 presidential election should translate into continued allegiance, Lawal clarified that his political decisions have always been guided by personal conviction rather than loyalty to individuals.
“I was never a member of the Labour Party when I supported him,” he said. “At that time, our goals aligned, but that does not mean permanent alignment.”
He added that Obi’s departure does not diminish the presence of other capable figures within Nigeria’s political space.
“It’s not as if he is the only viable presidential material. There are many others who can lead this country effectively,” Lawal stated.
Reaffirming his independence in political decision-making, Lawal dismissed any expectation that he would follow Obi to his new party.
“I didn’t join politics because of him. My political journey predates him, and it is driven by my own beliefs,” he said.
The development underscores deepening divisions within opposition ranks ahead of the 2027 general elections, as shifting alliances and internal disputes continue to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape.