Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has expressed doubts about the political prospects of the newly formed alliance between Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
In an interview published by The Sun Nigeria on Sunday, June 21, 2026, Lawal argued that the political atmosphere had shifted and questioned the ability of the coalition to build a viable national structure capable of winning the presidency.
Lawal noted that the former Anambra State governor had left a political platform, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which many supporters believed could have strengthened his presidential ambition.
According to him, Obi’s decision to align with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) reflected a preference for political organisations that lacked established grassroots structures.
The former SGF also raised concerns about the financial capacity of Dickson and other key figures within the alliance.
He suggested that neither Obi nor Kwankwaso was known for extensive political spending, while Dickson, in his view, no longer possessed the level of influence and resources associated with serving public office holders.
Lawal said Obi had repeatedly expressed a preference for parties without entrenched political structures.
He further argued that both Obi and Kwankwaso shared similar approaches to political financing and contended that Dickson lacked the resources needed to support a nationwide presidential campaign, having been out of government for several years.
Lawal said, “He (Obi) has said he likes parties without structures. And Peter Obi does not release money in politics. Kwankwaso is worse in that regard. They are essentially of the same character. And Seriake Dickson does not have the resources to finance them. He has been out of government for a long time.”
Obi joined the ADC from the Labour Party in late 2025 but encountered internal disputes and unsuccessful attempts to forge a broad opposition coalition.
Following months of disagreements within the party, Obi formally left the ADC in May 2026 and aligned with the NDC, a newly registered political party founded by Dickson.
Kwankwaso later joined the platform, strengthening efforts to create a fresh opposition movement.
At a special convention held on May 30, 2026, Obi emerged as the NDC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election, while Kwankwaso was named his running mate.
