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Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has endorsed the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, describing him as the standout candidate in the 2027 race and predicting he would make an excellent president.
Lawal, prominent political voice in the North did not hold back in his assessment of Adebayo’s readiness for the nation’s top office, setting him apart from the field of contenders jostling for the position in the 2027 general election.
“If I had my way, that boy, Adewole Adebayo of the SDP, is the number one. I would give him 100 percent. Have you listened to him on television, on the basis of his speech, the way he talks? He will make an excellent president,” he said.
The former SGF, who served under the late President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2017, pointed to Adebayo’s youthfulness and grasp of economic and social realities as key qualifications, describing him as a leader in tune with what ordinary Nigerians are going through at a time of biting economic hardship and widespread public frustration with the political class.
“He’s youthful, understands the economy and what the society is going through,” he said.
He, however, tempered his praise with a note of caution, expressing hope that Adebayo would govern with humility should he ascend to the presidency; a remark that appeared to draw an implicit contrast with other political figures he has worked with or observed over his decades-long career in public service.
“I hope he’s humbled. I wouldn’t know that but I hope he’s not just a typical Yoruba man like my friend,” he said, without naming the friend in question. “But Adebayo will make a good president.”
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Lawal’s comments carry particular significance given his own turbulent political trajectory in recent years. A former stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and SGF, Lawal later defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other members of the coalition that sought to challenge the ruling party ahead of 2027.
He has since fallen out with the ADC leadership and currently holds no party affiliation; a position that analysts say gives his endorsement an air of independence rather than partisan obligation.
Despite lacking a party platform of his own, he remains a politically consequential figure, particularly in the North. His name continues to carry weight in Adamawa State, his home turf and among segments of the northern political establishment that have grown increasingly disillusioned with the offerings of the two dominant parties, the APC and the PDP.
For the SDP and Adebayo’s campaign, an endorsement of this nature, unsolicited, candid and from a figure with no obvious incentive beyond personal conviction, offers a potentially valuable signal.
A lawyer and public affairs commentator who ran as the SDP’s presidential candidate in 2023, Adebayo has built his political brand around economic literacy, plain-spoken communication and a break from what he has often described as the recycled leadership of Nigeria’s major parties.
Lawal’s remarks suggest that this messaging may be resonating beyond Adebayo’s traditional base in the South-West, reaching political figures and constituencies in the North who have historically aligned with the APC or the PDP. Whether the endorsement translates into organised support on the ground in Adamawa or the wider North, remains to be seen, but political observers say such comments from a figure still widely consulted in northern political circles, could feed into the broader narrative around Adebayo’s candidacy as the 2027 race takes shape.
