Babachir Lawal Ends Sabbatical, joins NDC ahead of 2027

ABUJA — The opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has pulled off another high-profile catch, with former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, formally joining the party and throwing his weight behind its Peter Obi/Rabiu Kwankwaso ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

ValidViewNetwork can confirm that Lawal’s entry adds another recognisable name to a party that has, over recent months, absorbed a string of defections from rival platforms as Nigeria’s opposition landscape continues to shift ahead of next year’s polls.

From ADC exit to NDC entryLawal’s political journey in the last two years has been anything but smooth.

He was a vocal supporter of Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential run and later found himself embroiled in an acrimonious exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a fallout he has previously attributed to internal wrangling within that party.

He had also spoken publicly of being on political sabbatical, only for pressure from allies to draw him back into active politics.

Findings by ValidViewNetwork show that Lawal has, in earlier interviews, rated a joint Obi-Kwankwaso ticket far more favourably than either man running alone, a position that appears to have hardened into full-blown NDC membership.

ValidViewNetwork gathered that beyond Lawal’s defection, the NDC is simultaneously working to mobilise polling agents across the country’s polling units.

A part of a broader push by party figures such as Senator Victor Umeh is to convince Nigerians that the NDC has the structure to protect its votes on election day, not just marquee endorsements at the top of the ticket.

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According to reports gotten by ValidViewNetwork, the coming months are expected to see more political horse-trading, organisation of structures and grassroots agents across all 36 states.

For the NDC, Lawal’s arrival is being presented internally as fresh momentum; for rival camps, it is simply the latest defection in a season that has already reshaped Nigeria’s opposition map.

The road to 2027

For the NDC, Lawal’s arrival is being presented internally as fresh momentum; for rival camps, it is simply the latest defection in a season that has already reshaped Nigeria’s opposition map. ValidViewNetwork reports.