Atiku Responds to Babachir Lawal: “Your Fabricated Lies Are Rubbish”

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has accused former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal of spreading fabricated lies.

Atiku said Lawal’s verbal attacks and the “utter rubbish churned out” would have been better ignored as the ranting of a “man high on substance,” but the former vice president felt it necessary to set the record straight.

In a statement issued by his media office, Atiku clarified that while Lawal is free to resign from the ADC—as political parties are voluntary associations—he is not entitled to make unfounded accusations against him.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Atiku Media Office has been drawn to the needless and senseless attack on the person and character of the former Vice President of Nigeria and the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar.”

It added that accusing Atiku of religious bigotry or nepotism is “one of the laziest and most ridiculous lies anyone can spread about the former vice president.”

The statement further explained that Atiku is “one of the most liberal politicians in Nigeria,” and that his record on these issues is publicly verifiable.

“As far as we are concerned, Babachir was perfectly describing his own character rather than Atiku’s. The former SGF seeks power on the altar of dividing people based on primordial sentiments,” the statement continued.

“All his altercations with people are caused by his selfishness. He opportunistically panders to sentiments to achieve his ambition. None of his struggles are influenced by the larger interests of his people or Nigeria,” it added.

The statement also noted that “a man who is a notorious conflict entrepreneur like Babachir Lawal is not qualified to speak about what is good for Nigeria.”

“When Babachir said he resigned from the ADC because of the so‑called rigging or manipulation during the primaries, he didn’t offer any proof of his allegations,” the statement said.

“And instead of offering evidence of his allegations, he went further to drag Atiku’s family into the issue, which was irrelevant to the matter of the primaries.”

“It’s evident from the load of garbage published by the former SGF that he holds personal animosity against Atiku Abubakar,” the statement concluded.