Abuja, Nigeria – Political commentator Imran Wakili has declared that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar may never recover from the political fallout triggered by the exit of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal .
In a post shared on X on Thursday, Wakili argued that Lawal’s departure has caused a cascade of defections that have left the party in tatters, with only Atiku himself seemingly remaining .
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Mass Exodus from ADC
Wakili listed a string of prominent political figures who have left the ADC, directly attributing each departure to Lawal’s influence :
· Jibrilla Bindow – former Adamawa State Governor, now consulting on his next move
· Ishaku Abbo – former Senator, joined the Labour Party
· Aishatu Binani – former governorship candidate, moved to the NDC
· Abdulaziz Nyako – defected to the APC
· Nafiu Bala – tied up in a legal case linked to the crisis
"The damage Babachir did to Atiku and ADC—there is no coming back from it! BINDOW is GONE, nobody is left in ADC except Atiku himself," Wakili wrote .
Background: Lawal’s Explosive Exit
Lawal resigned from the ADC in May 2026, accusing the party of operating a "rigging machine" during its presidential primaries that produced Atiku as the flagbearer for the 2027 elections .
He further alleged that Atiku and his allies were pursuing ethnic and religious interests, arguing that the former vice president's emergence would ultimately strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term .
Atiku’s Camp Fires Back
Atiku’s camp has dismissed Lawal’s allegations as unsubstantiated. In a statement by Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President described Lawal as a "disappointed political actor" armed with "outrage but bereft of evidence" .
Shaibu pointed out that Lawal had failed to produce documents, petitions, or witnesses to back his claims, and accused him of "selective outrage"—noting that Lawal accepted the same primary process when it produced his cousin, Omar Suleiman, as ADC governorship candidate in Adamawa State .
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A Party in Crisis?
Wakili's assessment paints a picture of a party in existential crisis. He had earlier argued that Atiku was "left with his son Adamu, Baba 10, and the likes," having "fumbled Adamawa" after failing to retain key coalition partners .
"No matter how you look at it, you can't excuse Atiku from this mess," Wakili had previously stated on X .
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What This Means for 2027
With key defections and internal rancour, the ADC faces an uphill battle to present a united front ahead of the 2027 general elections. Whether Atiku can rebuild the coalition or whether the party will fade into irrelevance remains to be seen.
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