ABUJA — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly rejected allegations made by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, regarding the conduct of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary, describing the claims as unfounded, speculative, and driven by political disappointment.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku accused Lawal of making serious allegations without presenting any credible evidence to support them.
According to Shaibu, Nigerians who watched Lawal’s recent television interview witnessed “a man armed with outrage but bereft of evidence; rich in allegations but poor in facts.”
The statement, described as Atiku’s final response to the controversy, argued that despite spending nearly an hour making accusations about the ADC primary, Lawal failed to provide any verifiable proof.
“No document. No petition. No result sheet. No witness statement. No recording. Nothing,” the statement read. “For a man who repeatedly insisted that proof was everywhere, his performance was a masterclass in making extraordinary allegations without meeting the elementary obligation of substantiating them.”
Atiku maintained that Lawal’s comments reflected the frustration of a political figure unhappy with the outcome of the party’s primary election rather than the concerns of a genuine whistleblower.
The former Vice President noted that Lawal had openly supported another aspirant before the conclusion of the primary process and had publicly campaigned for that candidate.
The statement further highlighted what it described as contradictions in Lawal’s argument, accusing him of portraying Atiku as both politically irrelevant and powerful enough to manipulate a nationwide electoral process.
“According to his own account, Atiku was inactive, unpopular and absent from the field. Yet Nigerians are simultaneously expected to believe that this same supposedly dormant politician somehow orchestrated a nationwide conspiracy across 8,809 wards,” the statement said.
“It is not only implausible but also an insult to the intelligence of party members whose democratic choices he now seeks to invalidate simply because they did not favour his preferred candidate.”
Atiku’s camp also accused Lawal of pursuing a deliberate campaign aimed at undermining the former Vice President’s reputation, particularly among Christian communities in the Middle Belt and other regions where he enjoys significant support.
Responding to Lawal’s assertion that he had “absolutely nothing” to show for his years in public service, Atiku pointed to his contributions to Nigeria’s telecommunications liberalisation, economic reforms, private-sector development, educational advancement and broader national growth.
The statement concluded by dismissing Lawal’s allegations as an attempt to remain politically relevant through sensational claims.
“As far as we are concerned, this is the final response to Mr. Lawal’s increasingly desperate attempts to remain politically relevant through sensationalism and character assassination,” Shaibu stated.
“Nigerians have heard him. Nigerians have seen him. And Nigerians have judged for themselves. The facts remain unchanged. The truth remains intact. And no amount of bitterness can alter either.”
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