Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would emerge victorious in the 2027 presidential election if electoral manipulation becomes the deciding factor in the contest.
Lawal made the claim on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he spoke on the political landscape ahead of the next general election and his recent resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The former SGF, who has become increasingly critical of major political actors in recent months, said no politician in Nigeria could match Tinubu if elections were determined by rigging.
Responding to a question on whether President Tinubu had already secured victory in the 2027 election, Lawal said the President would win by a wide margin if electoral manipulation played a major role.
“Landslide. He’ll rig everybody,” Lawal said during the interview.
He went further to claim that Tinubu possessed unmatched political strength when it comes to influencing election outcomes.
“If the parameter for winning elections in Nigeria is rigging, nobody can face Bola Tinubu in this country. If Atiku’s strength is in manipulating results, I wish him luck; he will meet the master rigger in front,” he said.
The remarks are likely to generate controversy within Nigeria’s political space, especially as preparations gradually begin for the 2027 general election.
Neither the Presidency nor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had officially responded to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
Lawal’s comments come at a time when political parties are already positioning themselves for the next presidential contest, despite the election being nearly a year away.
President Tinubu recently secured the APC presidential ticket for the 2027 election, clearing the way for his bid for a second term in office.
The President, who was elected in 2023, is expected to seek re-election on the platform of the ruling party amid ongoing debates over his administration’s economic and security policies.
However, Lawal did not reserve his criticism for Tinubu alone.
The former SGF also launched a strong attack on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, dismissing his presidential ambition and arguing that an Atiku presidency would not provide the leadership Nigeria needs.
According to Lawal, his assessment of Atiku’s political history convinced him that the former vice president would perform worse than the current administration if elected president.
“I know Atiku. I have studied his antecedents and realized that his presidency will be worse than Bola Tinubu’s. I do not want to enter a situation in which I will regret my decision. I realized that the Nigeria we need is not available in Atiku’s leadership,” he said.
Lawal insisted that he would not support Atiku’s bid for the presidency under any circumstances.
The former SGF also accused Atiku of not speaking strongly enough on some of the major challenges confronting the country, particularly insecurity.
He argued that political leaders seeking public office should take clearer positions on issues such as kidnappings, killings and attacks affecting communities across Nigeria.
Nigeria has continued to battle insecurity in several regions, with banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and communal violence remaining major concerns.
Many citizens have repeatedly demanded stronger responses from political leaders and security agencies to address the situation.
Despite his criticism of both Tinubu and Atiku, Lawal made it clear that he is currently not supporting any presidential aspirant.
He also ruled out backing former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, at least for now.
“I am supporting nobody. I don’t want to be part of anything for now,” he stated.
His declaration has fuelled speculation about his future political plans following his recent departure from the ADC.
Lawal announced his resignation from the party on Monday, citing concerns over the conduct of its presidential primary election.
In a statement released shortly before the television interview, he alleged that the exercise was manipulated in favour of Atiku.
According to him, the primary election lacked credibility and did not reflect the wishes of party members.
Lawal claimed that results were altered to ensure Atiku emerged as the winner of the contest.
“Results were just written or rewritten to favour him and his coven. Even where they allowed some semblance of election to hold, the winners were simply replaced with members of his syndicate,” he alleged.
The former SGF said the alleged irregularities convinced him that he could no longer remain in the party.
He described the ADC as a “rigging machine” and argued that remaining in the party would contradict his political principles.
His resignation marks another development in the continuing realignment of political forces ahead of the 2027 elections.
Despite Lawal’s allegations, the ADC leadership has maintained that its presidential primary was conducted in a transparent and democratic manner.
Party officials insist that the process was free and fair and reflected the will of delegates who participated in the exercise.
The ADC declared Atiku the winner of the primary election after he secured 1,846,370 votes.
He defeated former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen to clinch the party’s presidential ticket.
Atiku, who has contested for the presidency multiple times, is expected to be one of the leading opposition candidates in the 2027 election.
Also expected to feature prominently in the race is Peter Obi, who is currently the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Party (NDC).
The emergence of the major candidates has already heightened political discussions across the country, with parties beginning to outline their strategies for the election.
As political activities gather momentum, analysts say issues such as economic reforms, insecurity, unemployment, inflation and governance are likely to dominate campaigns.