Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has renewed his criticism of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, urging the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to replace him as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Lawal, who has been at odds with Atiku since the ADC presidential primaries, made the call in a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Saturday.
The former SGF recently resigned from the ADC, alleging that the party’s presidential primary was manipulated in favour of Atiku and his allies. His latest remarks came in response to criticism he received following earlier comments about the former vice president.
Lawal maintained that the ADC primary process was flawed and argued that Atiku lacks the political strength to defeat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
He said many of his critics had focused on attacking him personally rather than addressing the issues he raised regarding Atiku’s candidacy.
According to him, all presidential aspirants should be subjected to public scrutiny, stressing that Nigerians have a right to assess the competence, character, and leadership qualities of those seeking the nation’s highest office.
“It is my right to interrogate the character and competence of someone who seeks to be my president,” Lawal wrote, insisting that political leaders must be held accountable for their public records and positions on national issues.
The former SGF further urged the ADC leadership to consider fielding what he described as a more qualified candidate if the party hopes to mount a serious challenge in the next presidential election.
“Indeed, I would urge the ADC to replace this man with a more qualified candidate if they want to have any hope of winning the presidential election before the INEC timetable runs out on them,” he said.
Lawal also rejected suggestions that his criticism of Atiku amounted to an attack on any ethnic group, arguing that political debate should focus on governance, leadership, and public accountability rather than ethnicity.
He questioned Atiku’s public stance on insecurity and the activities of armed groups operating in parts of the country, claiming that the former vice president had not spoken strongly enough on issues affecting victims of violence and banditry.
Lawal also raised concerns about some of Atiku’s business interests and leadership record, arguing that these issues should form part of public discussions ahead of the 2027 election.
The former SGF insisted that his comments were motivated by concerns about Nigeria’s future and reiterated his opposition to Atiku’s presidential bid.
“I mean well for my country,” he said, adding that he would continue to speak out on issues he considers important to Nigeria’s political future despite criticism from Atiku’s supporters.
Atiku and the ADC leadership had not publicly responded to Lawal’s latest remarks as of the time of filing this report.
