Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has urged Nigerians not to support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election, accusing him of playing ethnic politics.
Lawal made the remarks on Wednesday while reacting to the controversy surrounding the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship ticket in Adamawa State.
He alleged that Atiku was behind moves to replace the party’s governorship candidate, Suleiman Omar, with Alhaji Tukur Modibbo.
“Atiku Abubakar wants to replace Suleiman Omar as the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress in Adamawa State with Alhaji Tukur Modibbo. He wants to bring Modibbo to replace Omar, who was elected at the primaries,” Lawal alleged.
The former SGF further claimed that Atiku’s political decisions were driven by ethnic considerations and cautioned Nigerians against supporting the former vice president in the 2027 general election.
However, Atiku dismissed the allegations, describing them as false, baseless and aimed at creating unnecessary tension within the opposition party.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president denied having any involvement in an alleged plot to replace the ADC governorship candidate in Adamawa State.
“The allegations are entirely false, baseless and the product of the fertile imagination of those determined to create unnecessary tension within the ADC,” the statement read.
Shaibu stated that Atiku neither held any meeting nor issued any directive regarding the replacement of the party’s candidate.
“At no time has His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, held any meeting, issued any directive or participated in any discussion aimed at replacing the duly nominated governorship candidate of the party in Adamawa State,” the statement added.
The statement further alleged that those circulating the claims were unsettled by the growing unity within the ADC.
“Those behind this fabrication are clearly uncomfortable with the growing unity and momentum within the ADC and have resorted to peddling falsehood in a desperate bid to sow discord where none exists,” it stated.
It urged party members, supporters and the general public to disregard what it described as “malicious propaganda,” insisting that the ADC remained committed to due process, internal democracy and the decisions of its constitutionally recognised organs.
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