Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has declared that governors and other elected officials in Northern Nigeria will have no political future under the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Trust TV’s Sunday Politics, Lawal stated that many northern politicians will be compelled to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or similar opposition parties if they intend to remain politically relevant.
“Which northern elected official will campaign under the APC in the next election? None—unless they never planned to win in the first place,” he said.
Lawal argued that unless incumbent governors align themselves with an opposition coalition like the ADC, they stand little chance of re-election. He emphasized that the APC has not only failed in governance but has also alienated the North.
“The APC is a failed and destructive party,” he said. “Any governor still hoping to win re-election under its platform is delusional—unless they defect.”
According to Lawal, discussions are already underway between opposition coalitions and several northern governors considering a defection ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Tinubu’s Government Is Anti-North” – Lawal Backs Kwankwaso
Lawal further accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of neglecting the North, describing it as having an “anti-North agenda.” He echoed sentiments previously expressed by Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) 2023 presidential candidate, who alleged that the region is being marginalized in terms of federal infrastructure and development projects.
“There is no visible evidence of federal government infrastructure in the North,” Lawal stated. “There are no ongoing projects—none that anyone can physically point to.”
He added that Kwankwaso, himself an engineer, is justified in his assessment, suggesting that only those intentionally ignoring reality would deny the glaring lack of federal presence in the region.
“Every honest Nigerian knows the North is being sidelined,” Lawal said. “Even the modest infrastructure gains of the past are being systematically dismantled.”
The former SGF questioned the viability of the APC in the North, asserting that the party has lost credibility and voter trust in the region.
“What we feel as Northerners is that this administration isn’t just ignoring the North—it is actively undoing what it inherited,” he said. “Everything they do seems targeted at dismantling the region’s progress.”
Lawal concluded that for the North to regain its political and developmental footing, leaders must abandon the APC and embrace a new coalition that prioritizes regional equity and national unity.
