Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticised former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, accusing him of promoting divisive and ethnically charged narratives in his recent public comments.
Mr Atiku, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, expressed concern over what he described as attempts by Lawal to discredit him through ethnic profiling, prejudice and unsubstantiated allegations.
The former vice president said it was unfortunate that a public figure of Lawal’s stature had abandoned facts and reason in favour of what he termed conspiracy theories aimed at tarnishing the image of political opponents.
According to Atiku, Lawal failed to provide evidence to support his claims, instead relying on suspicion and emotional rhetoric.
“The most disturbing aspect of Babachir’s latest intervention is not his criticism, which remains his democratic right, but his repeated attempt to portray an entire ethnic group as inherently linked to criminality,” Atiku said.
He argued that it was dangerous and irresponsible to judge or condemn individuals based solely on their ethnic background, warning that such reasoning could deepen divisions and undermine national cohesion.
Atiku noted that if Lawal’s logic were applied universally, every ethnic group in Nigeria could be held responsible for the crimes committed by a few individuals within their communities.
The ADC presidential candidate also pointed to what he described as a contradiction in Lawal’s position, recalling that the former SGF served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he noted belongs to the same ethnic group Lawal now appears eager to criticise.
“At no point did Mr. Lawal object to receiving such trust and elevation from a Fulani President. He accepted the office, the privileges and the prestige that came with it,” Atiku stated.
He questioned why Lawal now seeks to stigmatise an entire ethnic group because another Fulani politician is contesting for the presidency through democratic means.
Atiku further accused Lawal of inconsistency, noting that while attacking him politically, the former SGF was simultaneously granting media interviews in which he claimed several governors were eager to bring him back into the ruling party.
“Nigerians are entitled to ask a simple question: which Babachir should they believe?” he asked.
The former vice president said Lawal’s comments reflected a man struggling to reconcile personal political disappointment with present realities.
He maintained that Lawal was free to return to any political party of his choice but should not disguise personal political ambitions as patriotic concerns.
Defends Record on National Tragedies
Atiku also dismissed allegations that he had been indifferent to victims of violence and insecurity across the country.
He said he had consistently condemned terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, communal clashes and attacks affecting both Christian and Muslim communities.
The former vice president recalled his visit to Kagoro in Southern Kaduna following attacks in the area, saying he attended a church thanksgiving service to identify with victims and their families irrespective of religious or ethnic considerations.
“Leadership is not about counting tribes or measuring faith. It is about standing with people in moments of difficulty regardless of their ethnic or religious identity,” he said.
Highlights Support for Chibok Girls
Atiku pointed to his involvement in supporting some of the released Chibok schoolgirls as evidence of his commitment to national development and humanitarian causes.
According to him, following the abduction of the girls by insurgents, he facilitated scholarships for some of the victims at the American University of Nigeria.
He said several beneficiaries had since completed their studies and rebuilt their lives through education and empowerment.
“Those young women are living proof that compassion is more powerful than bitterness and that nation-building requires action, not merely rhetoric,” he stated.
Defends Business Credentials
The former vice president also rejected attempts to question his entrepreneurial achievements, describing such criticisms as detached from reality.
He argued that his investments across various sectors of the Nigerian economy had created jobs, expanded educational opportunities and contributed to national development long before many current political office holders entered public service.
Atiku cited the American University of Nigeria as a lasting example of what private-sector initiative can achieve, noting that thousands of graduates had benefited from the institution.
Calls for Issue-Based Politics
The ADC presidential candidate said Lawal’s recent comments reflected bitterness and resentment rather than constructive political engagement.
He urged the former SGF to abandon what he described as the politics of hate and embrace a more reflective approach to national discourse.
According to Atiku, Nigeria’s future should not be built on ethnic suspicion, religious division or inherited prejudice, but on practical solutions to insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment and declining educational standards.
He called on political actors to focus public debate on policies, ideas and evidence rather than ethnic stereotyping and personal attacks.
“Nigeria deserves a conversation about the future, not endless bitterness about the past. Our people deserve leaders who unite rather than divide, heal rather than inflame, and build rather than destroy,” he said.
Reaffirming his commitment to national unity, Atiku declared that every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity, religion, region or social status, deserves equal opportunity, equal protection and equal dignity under the law.
“Babachir may see tribe. I see Nigerians. Babachir may see division. I see a nation that must come together if it is to overcome its present challenges,” he added.
