The Special Assistant to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, has insisted that the primary election that produced the former Vice president as the party’s flag bearer was not fraudulent.

Shaibu downplayed dismissed allegations by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal that the ADC’s primary election was rigged.

In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Shaibu maintained that the ADC’s primary election was not  manipulated.

Shaibu maintained that the burden of proving the allegations rests on Lawal.

According to him, Atiku was the most popular among the contestants, which included former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, making his victory unsurprising.

“Anybody who claims rigging or irregularity in the last election should check the places and locations they won. Where are the states that Rotimi Amaechi won?

“If you check the figures and the margins he got there, you will know that those are his strongholds. It was not a fraudulent process,” he said.

Shaibu also likened Lawal’s reaction to that of a baby throwing tantrums after being deprived of its mother’s breast.

“Babachir reminds me of a baby who is yanked off her mother’s breast while suckling. It is like a deprived suckling; definitely the baby will throw tantrums.

“He admitted on your show that his preferred candidate was Hayatu-Deen. He worked for him,” Shaibu said.

Former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, says the flag bearer of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, will dump the party if their expectations are not realized.

Ahmad made this statement in a post on his verified X handle.

According to him, Peter Obi and Kwankwaso see the NDC primarily as a vehicle for the 2027 elections.

He added that the difference in political timelines and objectives could make it difficult for the party’s national leader, Seriake Dickson, and Obi/Kwankwaso’s ambitions to align sustainably.

“If Obi and Kwankwaso’s expectations are not realised within the party, they will definitely move on to another platform ahead of the 2031 for the same reason.

“It is obvious that Dickson is only pursuing a long-term political project, not a short-term electoral arrangement.

“From what I understood, his focus is to build a formidable political platform this time that could position him strongly for presidency in 2031 or so,” he wrote.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed June 16 to June 25, 2026, for the conduct of political party primaries in restored state constituencies across Benue, Delta, Jigawa and Kogi states ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The commission announced the decision in a press statement issued on Wednesday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.

According to INEC, the action followed court judgments directing the restoration of several previously suppressed constituencies and was carried out in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act 2026.

In Benue State, the restored constituencies are Nyamatsor, Ukum Afia, Konshisha III (Shangev-Tiev), Makurdi III (South East), and Gboko III State Constituencies.

INEC said the special primary elections would enable political parties to nominate candidates for the restored constituencies in preparation for the 2027 general election.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all other timelines and activities contained in the already published revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election shall apply to the restored constituencies,” the commission stated.

The electoral body also directed political parties to submit notices of their primaries to the commission before the scheduled dates, citing the peculiar nature of the arrangement.

INEC reaffirmed its commitment to conducting credible, inclusive and transparent electoral processes as preparations for the 2027 general election continue.