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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed allegations by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, over the conduct of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary, insisting that the claims lack evidence and should not be taken as fact without proof.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku urged Lawal to back his allegations with verifiable documentation, warning against what he described as attempts to undermine internal party processes through unsubstantiated public commentary.
Shaibu said Lawal’s recent television appearance presented serious accusations without supporting evidence.
“Nigerians who watched Mr Lawal’s interview were confronted with a man armed with outrage but bereft of evidence; rich in allegations but poor in facts,” he said.
He added that despite spending considerable time making claims about irregularities in the ADC presidential primary, Lawal failed to provide any form of proof.
“Mr Lawal spent nearly an hour making grave accusations about the conduct of the ADC presidential primary. Yet he failed to produce a single piece of verifiable evidence. No document. No petition. No result sheet. No witness statement. No recording. Nothing,” Shaibu stated.
According to the statement, the absence of documentary or testimonial evidence undermines the credibility of the allegations, especially given the seriousness of claims relating to electoral processes.
Atiku also suggested that Lawal’s intervention reflected dissatisfaction with the outcome of the primary rather than an objective assessment of the process, noting that his public comments appeared aligned with his earlier political preferences during the contest.
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The statement further pointed to what it described as inconsistencies in Lawal’s narrative, arguing that it was contradictory to portray Atiku as politically insignificant while simultaneously alleging that he possessed the influence to manipulate outcomes across thousands of wards.
“Such claims are internally inconsistent. It cannot be argued on one hand that a political actor is inactive, and on the other that the same individual controls outcomes nationwide,” Shaibu said.
The former Vice President also rejected attempts to diminish his political record, citing his role in Nigeria’s economic liberalisation and contributions to reforms in key sectors, including telecommunications and private sector development.
Shaibu said Atiku would not be drawn into prolonged exchanges based on what he described as politically motivated allegations lacking substantiation.
“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,” he said.
“The facts remain unchanged. The truth remains intact. And no amount of bitterness can alter either.”
The development highlights renewed tensions within Nigeria’s opposition political space, as key figures continue to trade accusations over internal party processes and leadership legitimacy.
