The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has rejected allegations by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, over the conduct of the African Democratic Congress presidential primary, describing the claims as unsubstantiated and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president’s camp said Lawal failed to provide any credible evidence to support accusations that the primary process was manipulated.
The response followed remarks made by Lawal during a recent television interview in which he questioned the integrity of the ADC primary election and suggested that the process was compromised.
According to Shaibu, despite making serious allegations during the interview, Lawal did not present any documentary or testimonial proof.
“Mr. Lawal spent considerable time making grave accusations about the ADC presidential primary, yet failed to provide a single verifiable piece of evidence. There was no document, petition, result sheet, witness statement, or recording to support his claims,” Shaibu said.
He added that Nigerians who watched the interview were left with allegations that lacked factual backing.
“For a man who repeatedly claimed that evidence was readily available, his presentation amounted to a series of accusations without proof. He arrived with allegations and left with allegations, but the evidence never came,” he stated.
Shaibu further criticised Lawal for relying on unnamed sources and unverifiable accounts, arguing that such claims fell short of the standards expected from a former senior government official.
“Instead of presenting concrete facts, Nigerians were treated to stories involving unnamed callers, unnamed officials, and unnamed witnesses. Suspicion cannot replace evidence,” he said.
The Atiku camp also suggested that Lawal’s comments were influenced by dissatisfaction with the outcome of the primary election.
“What emerged from the interview was not the account of a whistleblower exposing wrongdoing, but that of a political actor struggling to accept the defeat of his preferred candidate,” Shaibu stated.
He noted that Lawal had openly supported another aspirant before the conclusion of the primary and accused him of attempting to frame personal disappointment as public concern.
Shaibu also faulted what he described as contradictions in Lawal’s assessment of Atiku’s political influence.
“Mr. Lawal portrays Atiku as politically irrelevant, yet simultaneously expects Nigerians to believe that the same individual orchestrated a nationwide conspiracy across thousands of wards. The argument simply does not add up,” he said.
According to him, such claims underestimate the independence and judgment of ADC members who participated in the primary process.
The statement also referenced comments allegedly made by Lawal regarding his relationship with President Bola Tinubu.
“More revealing was his declaration on national television that he could simply call President Tinubu whenever he needed financial assistance and receive it immediately. Nigerians heard the statement and can draw their own conclusions,” Shaibu said.
He further accused the former SGF of attempting to weaken Atiku’s support among Christian communities in parts of the country where the former vice president enjoys significant backing.
Shaibu maintained that Lawal’s criticisms reflected personal grievances rather than objective analysis.
“Every outcome he dislikes is described as rigging, every defeat becomes a conspiracy, and every disagreement is interpreted as manipulation. That is the language of grievance, not reason,” he said.
Defending Atiku’s political record, Shaibu pointed to the former vice president’s role in key economic reforms during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“Nigerians are familiar with Atiku Abubakar’s contributions to economic reforms, private sector development, education, and the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector,” he said.
