Controversy Erupts in ADC Primaries: Election Official Condemns Babachir Lawal

Dr. Nicholas Msheliza, the chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) electoral committee in Adamawa State, has leveled serious allegations against Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, accusing him of attempting to alter the outcome of the party's recent presidential primary, with Msheliza threatening to release evidence to support his claims.

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Msheliza, who also served as Returning Officer for the Adamawa primaries, revealed that Lawal personally contacted him after the results were compiled, demanding that he reverse the outcome in Hong Local Government Area to favour Mohammed Hayatu-Deen over Atiku Abubakar, a request Msheliza insisted he rejected.

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According to Msheliza, Atiku Abubakar won Hong LGA with 11,991 votes, while Hayatu-Deen polled 2,493 votes and Rotimi Amaechi got 377 votes, results that Msheliza claimed reflected the actual votes cast.

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Msheliza quoted himself as saying that when Lawal learned of the results, he called and requested that the outcome be reversed to favour his candidate, a directive Msheliza said he refused to carry out, describing it as "criminal".

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Following Msheliza's refusal, Lawal allegedly dissolved the local electoral committee and set up a parallel structure, which conducted an "illegal exercise" across several LGAs, including Hong, Madagali, Michika, and Mubi North, producing what Msheliza termed "concocted results" that contradicted the official tally.

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These actions, Msheliza claimed, were taken without consultation and without proper electoral materials, and he challenged Lawal to release his own result sheets for public comparison with the official records.

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Msheliza expressed his readiness to present documentary evidence to back his account and questioned Lawal's conduct, stating that his actions were inconsistent with the integrity expected of his office and public standing.

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A further detailed statement, Msheliza said, would be released, complete with "documentary proof of interference and manipulation attempts" surrounding the primary, in an effort to shed more light on the matter.

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The exchange marks a fresh escalation in the post-primary tensions within the ADC, following Lawal's resignation from the party earlier in the week and his earlier allegation that Atiku manipulated the presidential primary in his favour.

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Opposition figures have dismissed Lawal's claims, while internal party actors continue to trade accusations over the conduct of the exercise, in a development that is likely to further polarize the party.