Six governorship candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the North-East have rejected the appointment of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr Babachir Lawal, as the party’s leader in the region.
The candidates, in a joint statement addressed to the NDC national leadership and National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, declared that they would not recognise Lawal in the position, describing their decision as “collective, firm and final.”
The development has introduced a fresh disagreement within the opposition party, coming only days after Lawal formally joined the NDC and was assigned a leadership role covering the North-East.
Senator Dickson had, while receiving Lawal into the party, said the former SGF would oversee NDC activities and campaigns in the North-East and provide guidance on political operations in the region.
However, the six governorship candidates said they were not consulted before the appointment was made.
“After due consideration, we have unanimously resolved not to recognise Engr. Babachir Lawal as the Leader of the NDC in the North-East, and we will not recognise him as such,” the candidates stated.
They argued that other stakeholders who had been directly involved in building the party’s structures and mobilising support across the six states should have been consulted before such a decision was taken.
The candidates also stressed that political decisions should reflect local realities, invoking the principle that “politics is local.”
They expressed concern that Lawal’s appointment could affect the party’s electoral prospects in the North-East, saying they were of the view that the appointment would not add electoral value to the NDC in the zone.
The six candidates are Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) of Adamawa State; Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim of Bauchi State; Rear Admiral S. Kashim Ibrahim (retd.) of Borno State; Dr Babayo Ardo of Gombe State; Prof. Mohammed Sani of Taraba State; and Ibrahim M. Shitu of Yobe State.
They appealed to the national leadership to review the appointment and engage with them and other affected stakeholders, saying this would be in the interest of party unity, cohesion and the strengthening of the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The candidates, however, acknowledged the efforts of the national leadership in providing the platform for political participation ahead of the elections, making clear that their objection was specifically to Lawal’s appointment as North-East leader.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our position is collective, firm and final: we do not recognise Engr. Babachir Lawal as the Leader of the NDC in the North-East, and we will not recognise him as such,” they said.
Lawal joined the NDC on September 22, 2026, about three months after leaving the African Democratic Congress (ADC). At his unveiling, he declared support for the NDC presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso for the 2027 election.
The former SGF had previously been associated with the ADC but left the party amid disagreements surrounding its presidential primary. His subsequent move to the NDC has now been followed by his proposed leadership role in the North-East.
The latest development places the NDC national leadership before a disagreement involving all six of its governorship candidates in the North-East, with the candidates explicitly asking for a review of the appointment.
