Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has said he would rather support President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) than former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election, warning that an Atiku presidency could lead to “chaotic collapse”.
Lawal, who disclosed this in an interview on Monday, said his decision was based on political principles and his assessment of the opposition coalition.
Lawal, speaking in an interview said, Nigeria might face an “orderly crash” under Tinubu but a “chaotic collapse” under the former Vice President.
Lawal, who recently joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) after resigning from the ADC following Atiku’s emergence as its presidential candidate said,
“I’d rather go with Bola than Atiku because when Nigeria crashes with Bola, it might be an orderly crash, but with Atiku, it would be a chaotic one”.
The former SGF said his assessment stems from previous experience working with Atiku, whom he described as “not a good man.”
“I wanted to work for Atiku. I had the belief that, given the way we are suffering in the North, we should not surrender the presidency; that, at least, our own man would, if nothing else, stop the decline we are in,” he said.
Lawal accused the former vice president of giving instructions and later reversing them after consulting with other people, creating instability in decision-making.
“Everything you do with him, there’s chaos,” Lawal stated.
The comments come as the country heads toward the 2027 presidential election, with Atiku seeking the presidency again under the ADC banner while President Tinubu runs for re-election.
Lawal’s departure from the ADC and his public endorsement of Tinubu over Atiku highlights divisions among northern political figures ahead of the election cycle.
