A fresh internal disagreement has emerged within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) after some of the party’s governorship candidates in the North-East rejected the appointment of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, as the party’s leader in the region.
The candidates, in a joint statement addressed to the national leadership of the party, said they would not recognise Lawal in the position, insisting that their decision was ‘collective, firm and final.’
The development has created fresh tension within the party ahead of the 2027 general election, with the candidates questioning the process that led to the appointment.
They argued that the decision was made without consultation with key stakeholders who had been involved in building the party’s structures and mobilising support across the region.
‘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 statement read.
The candidates said political decisions must reflect the realities of each region, arguing that those actively involved in party mobilisation should be carried along in major appointments.
They expressed concern that the appointment could affect the party’s prospects in the North-East, saying they did not believe the decision would add electoral value to the party in the region.
According to them, consultations with governorship candidates before the appointment would have helped the national leadership understand the political dynamics and concerns across the six states.
They appealed to the party’s leadership to review the appointment and engage affected stakeholders in order to strengthen unity and cohesion ahead of the 2027 elections.
The statement was signed by governorship candidates from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states.
The candidates, while acknowledging the efforts of the NDC national leadership in creating a platform for political participation ahead of 2027, maintained that their opposition to Lawal’s appointment remained unchanged.
‘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 stated.