Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has declared that the presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) represents the best option for Nigerians seeking to address the country’s challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Lawal made the declaration on Tuesday after joining the NDC, where he was received by the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson.

He said Nigerians concerned about insecurity, economic hardship, hunger, ignorance and disease should support the NDC to achieve what he described as a patriotic objective of electing Obi as president and Kwankwaso as vice-president in 2027.

“I have nothing much to say, except to say that anybody, anybody at all in Nigeria that has the interest of our country at heart, that has sympathy for the suffering that is going on in our country, endeavoured by insecurity, economic deprivation, hunger, ignorance and disease, will have no choice but to join a party that presents Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as the presidential candidates of the party,” Lawal said.

He urged Nigerians to partner with the NDC to pursue the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket, saying the objective was aimed at securing what he described as a better future for the country.

“It is now convincing to partner with the NDC to see to the fulfilment of this very, very noble patriotic objective of installing Peter Obi as the president and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as the vice-president in 2027,” he said.

Lawal expressed optimism that the party would achieve its objective by the end of the 2027 electoral cycle.

“So by the grace of God, by the grace of our leader and Nigerians at large, we look forward to May 29, 2027, where we celebrate that we’ve done that which is proper, we’ve done that which is good for the country, and we’ve done that which is good for generations yet and more,” he said.

Receiving the former SGF into the party, NDC National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, described Lawal as an experienced politician, organiser and mobiliser whose experience would be valuable to the party as it prepares for the 2027 elections.

Dickson said Lawal had witnessed the rise and fall of several political parties and had experience in political mobilisation beyond his former official position as SGF.

“Behind the official designations that are known, what is not known is that he’s a great mobilizer. He’s actually some sort of a political activist also, but a great organizer and mobilizer,” Dickson said.

He welcomed Lawal on behalf of the National Working Committee, candidates and members of the NDC, describing the party as the “fastest-growing” and “largest opposition party.”

Dickson disclosed that Lawal would take leadership of the party’s activities and campaigns in the North-East and also oversee and guide its activities in the North-Central zone pending further decisions by the party.

He said the former SGF’s experience and network would be deployed to strengthen the party’s mobilisation efforts across the two regions and beyond.

“You led those efforts. But we also would like to request you not to get tired. You will, from today, also oversee and guide the efforts of our party and our candidates and all the campaigns in the North-Central part of Nigeria too,” Dickson said.

He added that the party would rely on Lawal to help resolve issues and provide guidance to candidates and campaign structures in the two zones.

Dickson also appealed to the former SGF to deploy his extensive contacts and political network to support the party’s activities across the country.

The NDC National Leader expressed appreciation to Lawal for what he described as his humility, commitment, patriotism and decades of service to Nigeria.

He said a more formal reception would subsequently be held in Adamawa State, Lawal’s home state, where the party would present him to the people and outline its vision for the 2027 elections. (Nigerian Tribune)