Lawal announced his resignation in a statement shared on his official Facebook page on Monday, saying he could no longer remain in a party whose primary process he described as fundamentally flawed.
“I am exiting the ADC because its just concluded primaries were at all levels massively rigged in favour Kachalla Abubakar Atiku,” Lawal said.
The former SGF alleged that results were altered to favour Atiku and his supporters, adding that even in areas where voting was conducted, declared winners were allegedly replaced.
“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. In the real sense it was a disgraceful charade,” he said.
Lawal said his decision to leave the party was also informed by his unwillingness to be associated with what he described as a political structure that could influence future elections.
His resignation comes amid lingering controversy over the ADC presidential primary held on May 25, 2026, which produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.
Atiku was declared the winner of the contest with 1,846,370 votes, while former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen placed second and third with 504,117 and 177,120 votes respectively.
The primary had drawn criticism from some aspirants. Before the announcement of the results, Hayatu-Deen publicly distanced himself from the process, citing concerns about alleged vote manipulation and the integrity of the exercise.
Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi also raised concerns about the conduct of the primary, alleging irregularities in the process.
However, following a recent visit from Atiku, Hayatu-Deen ruled out challenging the outcome of the primary, saying he had chosen party unity and the broader objective of building a credible opposition ahead of future elections over personal political ambition.
Lawal, meanwhile, said he would spend time consulting with political associates on his next steps while continuing to oppose Atiku’s presidential ambition.
