Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal has joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress, saying insecurity, economic hardship and poverty persuaded him to return to active partisan politics.
Lawal, who was previously a member of the African Democratic Congress, announced his move at the Abuja residence of NDC national leader and former Bayelsa State governor Seriake Dickson.
He said he had considered retiring from politics after becoming dissatisfied with developments in other political parties but decided to re-engage because of what he described as worsening conditions across the country.
Lawal said he would support the NDC presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
He had previously criticized the NDC and, after leaving the ADC, alleged that the party’s presidential primary had been manipulated in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The ADC rejected that allegation and said its members had been free to make their choice.
Lawal said his political decisions had evolved as he reassessed the available options ahead of the 2027 election.
He described his support for Obi and Kwankwaso as a response to what he considered their records in Anambra and Kano states respectively.
Receiving Lawal, Dickson described him as an experienced organizer and said the party intended to deploy his political network in its campaign structure.
Dickson assigned Lawal responsibility for coordinating NDC activities and campaigns across the North-East and North-Central geopolitical zones, subject to further party directives.
He said Lawal’s role could extend beyond those zones because of his political contacts nationwide.
Dickson also dismissed concerns about the NDC’s limited participation in some recent off-cycle elections, arguing that the relatively new opposition party preferred to conserve resources for the larger 2027 contest.
He said the party would demonstrate its organizational strength as campaigns intensified.
Lawal’s defection adds another senior political figure to the NDC as opposition parties continue to realign ahead of the 2027 general election.
