Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has said he has no reason to follow Peter Obi politically, insisting that his loyalty is not tied to any individual.
He made this known while reaffirming his commitment to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), despite recent political realignments involving top opposition figures.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, Lawal dismissed claims that Obi’s recent political move should influence his own direction.
He said his past support for the former Anambra governor in the 2023 presidential election was based on shared interests at the time, not permanent allegiance.
“I was never a member of the Labour Party throughout the time I was supporting Peter Obi. It just so happened that at that particular time in that election cycle, our goals aligned, and we felt that we could support each other and pursue the same goal,” he said.
Lawal stressed that Obi is not the only credible presidential material in the country. According to him, Nigeria has several capable individuals who can lead effectively if given the opportunity.
“It’s not as if Peter Obi is the best product that a political party can produce to be president. There are so many other people that can make good presidential material in this country,” he added.
The former SGF said his political journey started long before his association with Obi and cannot be reduced to one relationship. He maintained that his decisions are guided by personal convictions and broader national interest.
“I didn’t join politics because of him… there’s no way I can tie my own ambitions, my own political inclinations to one person.
“He didn’t pay my school fees. He has never given me a bag of rice to eat in my house. So I don’t understand how you would say that, because Peter Obi has left, I should follow him,” he said.
His remarks come shortly after Obi and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), a development that has stirred conversations within opposition circles.
Lawal argued that Obi was never fully committed to the ADC coalition from the beginning. He claimed that the former governor joined the alliance late and often appeared uncertain about his role within the party.
“Peter Obi joined the coalition after it had all begun for quite a long time. He had always been somebody that is very shifty when it came to ADC. We never felt his heart was in it,” he said.
He further revealed that the party made special concessions to accommodate Obi, including allowing him to nominate the organising secretary. According to Lawal, the move was aimed at building trust and giving Obi confidence in the party’s internal processes.
“To accommodate Peter Obi, we offered him to single-handedly bring the organising secretary of the party. We never extended that goodwill to any other member of the party,” Lawal said.
Despite the gesture, Lawal said doubts remained about Obi’s commitment to the coalition, adding that events later confirmed those concerns.
“We felt that if you have confidence in the party’s organising secretary, that assures you that you cannot be manipulated out, because the heart of electoral processes in a political party is the organising secretary’s office.
“But you see, right from inception we suspected that his heart was not with us,” he explained.
Lawal also accused Obi of avoiding competitive primaries, suggesting that his political style leans more towards consensus arrangements rather than open contests.
“I don’t think it is suspicion; I think it’s fear. And a democrat, a politician who fears election, I think, has no business being one.
“He doesn’t want to participate in primaries; he prefers to be a consensus candidate, and that consensus must be him,” he said.
He concluded by saying that the ADC remains focused on fairness and internal democracy, especially as it brings together influential political figures with varying ambitions.
“This is a political party of heavyweights, former this, former that, everybody, some with ambition, some like us with no ambition. And the only way you can make progress is to create a level playing field for everybody,” he said.
