Alleged Rigging: Atiku Dismisses Babachir Lawal’s Claims As ‘Bitterness Without Proof’
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed 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 them as “a cocktail of bitterness, conjecture, and political revisionism dressed up as public interest.”
Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in a statement on Tuesday, said Nigerians who watched Lawal’s recent television interview witnessed “a curious spectacle of a man armed with outrage but bereft of evidence.”
Shaibu said the response represented Atiku’s final position on the matter.
According to him, Lawal made several allegations during the interview but failed to provide any verifiable evidence. He said no documents, petitions, result sheets, witness statements or recordings were presented to support his claims.
“For nearly an hour, he made grave accusations about the conduct of the ADC presidential primary, yet produced no evidence whatsoever. No document, no petition, no result sheet, no witness statement, no recording. Nothing,” Shaibu said, quoting Atiku.
He added that Lawal’s appearance reflected “a disappointed political actor struggling to come to terms with the failure of his preferred candidate,” noting that the former SGF had openly supported another aspirant before the conclusion of the primary.
The statement also highlighted what it described as contradictions in Lawal’s claims, alleging that he portrayed Atiku as both politically irrelevant and overly powerful at the same time.
“According to his own account, Atiku was inactive and unpopular, yet he is also accused of orchestrating a nationwide conspiracy across 8,809 wards,” Shaibu said.
Atiku’s camp argued that such claims were inconsistent and disrespectful to party members who participated in the process.
It further accused Lawal of acting as “a political mercenary” seeking to undermine Atiku’s influence in certain regions.
The statement also rejected Lawal’s remarks that Atiku had “nothing,” pointing to his role in economic reforms, telecommunications liberalisation, private sector development, and contributions to national growth.
Shaibu said the statement marked Atiku’s final response to the matter, insisting that Nigerians had already drawn their conclusions.
“The facts remain unchanged. The truth remains intact. And no amount of bitterness can alter either,” he added.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
