Six governorship candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the North-East have rejected the appointment of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, as coordinator of the party's activities and campaigns in the zone ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The candidates, in a joint statement addressed to the party's national leadership and its National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, said they would not recognize Lawal as leader of the NDC in the North-East.
They faulted the appointment process, saying it was made without consultation with key stakeholders, including those who built and sustained the party structures across the six states of the region.
Describing their stance as "collective, firm and final," the candidates argued that decisions affecting the North-East must reflect the input of grassroots operators who are mobilising support for the party.
They also questioned the electoral value of Lawal's appointment, expressing doubts that his leadership would enhance the party's chances in the region in 2027.
The governorship candidates therefore appealed to Senator Dickson and other national leaders to reverse the decision and engage them in wider consultations in the interest of unity and cohesion.
The statement was jointly signed by Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) - Adamawa, Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim - Bauchi, Rear Admiral S. Kashim Ibrahim (rtd) - Borno, Dr. Babayo Ardo - Gombe, Prof. Mohammed Sani - Taraba, and Ibrahim M. Shitu - Yobe.
While commending the national leadership for providing a platform for participation ahead of the 2027 polls, the candidates insisted that their opposition to Lawal's emergence as zonal coordinator remains unchanged.
Lawal, a former SGF who recently joined the NDC, was appointed to oversee the party's political activities in the North-East - a move that has now triggered an internal rift among its governorship candidates in the region.
