The Atiku Media Office has dismissed claims by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, accusing the ADC of rigging its primaries for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing Lawal’s statement as “verbal vituperation” and “substance-induced fabrication of lies.”
In a statement released in Abuja on June 1, 2026, the media office said Lawal had the right to resign from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, since political parties are voluntary associations. However, it argued that he was “not entitled to cast aspersions on Atiku based entirely on fabricated and brazen lies.”
Lawal had announced his exit from the ADC in a Facebook post titled “The Kachalla Series Part 1,” alleging that the party’s primaries were “massively rigged” in favour of “Kachalla Abubakar Atiku” and accusing Atiku of religious hegemony and nepotism.
Responding, the Atiku Media Office said accusing Atiku of religious bigotry or nepotism was “one of the laziest and most ridiculous lies anyone can spread against the former Vice President.” It described Atiku as “one of the most liberal politicians in Nigeria,” adding that his record on inclusivity “is there for anyone to verify.”
“As far as we are concerned, Babachir was perfectly describing his own character rather than Atiku’s,” the statement said. “The former SGF seeks power on the altar of dividing the people based on primordial sentiments. 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.”
The media office further accused Lawal of being a “notorious conflict entrepreneur” and therefore “not qualified to speak about what is good for Nigeria.” It said that when Lawal cited rigging as reason for his resignation, he “didn’t offer any proof of his allegations,” and instead dragged Atiku’s family into an issue it called irrelevant to 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 added.
The office advised Lawal to “search his conscience and stop feeding the cauldron of division and bigotry among Nigerians for his own selfish interests,” stressing that “there is no such thing as a Muslim and Christian party in Nigeria.” It urged politicians who feel aggrieved by party processes to petition the party with evidence rather than “turn himself into an agent of division.”
Signed: Atiku Media Office, Abuja, 1 June, 2026
Context: Lawal, who served as SGF under President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2017, announced his resignation from ADC on June 1, citing alleged manipulation of primaries in favour of Atiku, the ADC’s 2027 presidential candidate. The ADC had not issued an official response to Lawal’s allegations at press time.
