Babachir Lawal Doubles Down Against Atiku, Says North Needs Competent Candidate To Reclaim Presidency, Insists ADC Primary Election Rigged

By Ayodele Oni

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SFG), and ex-North East Vice Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Babachir Lawal, has insisted that there are documentary evidence to back his claim that results of the Presidential primary election was rigged in favour of  Atiku Abubakar.

Lawal also reiterated his position that for now, he has effectively withdrawn from active partisan politics and was undecided about whom to support in the next presidential election.

“I have now retired from politics. I’m not canvassing for votes for anybody.

“I have one vote to myself that I keep to myself. I might even vote for Omoyele Sowore.”

Speaking during a national television interview on Tuesday, Lawal maintained that the outcome of the primary election did not reflect the actual votes cast in several locations, alleging that results were altered during collation.

“First of all, it was rigged,” Lawal said when asked about his claims.

The former SGF pointed out that he has documentary evidence showing discrepancies between results announced at local levels and those eventually submitted to the party’s national collation centre in Abuja.

“I have evidence. I have evidence from a primary, from a local government, for example, the results of the election returned was Hayatu-Deen had 20,000 votes, whereas Atiku Abubakar had 1,000 and something votes. But the result that ended up in Abuja was reversed, was inverted.”

Lawal further alleged that even officials involved in the collation process expressed concerns over how certain results were handled.

“The returning officer at the State was telling me when I complained, how come these results are not reflected on the result tally that you have?

He said, ‘How can we embarrass Atiku Abubakar in his home state?’ Can you imagine that?” he said, adding that the official’s responsibility should have been limited to transmitting results as received from the polling and collation centres.

Lawal claimed that the alleged manipulation extended beyond the presidential contest and affected other elective positions.

“I know, for example, one candidate who won the House of Representatives election in my state is not the name that was announced at the coalition centre.

“I know somebody from Adamawa, Yola North, Yola South constituency who won landslide. His name is not on that sheet that eventually got to Abuja.”

He also questioned delays in transmitting results from Adamawa State, alleging that the state’s returning officer held on to the documents for days before presenting them in Abuja.

“It took our own returning officer close to three days before the results were submitted in Abuja. What were they doing with the results?

“He left Yola on the same day that the result was to be collated, but he didn’t hand them over. By the time he handed them over, it was all childish, mutilated, manipulated results,” he pointed out.

The former ADC chieftain stressed that his opposition to the outcome was rooted in principle rather than personal preference for any candidate.

“If I think Atiku had won free and fair and square, I’ll kill myself supporting him, campaigning for him.

“This thing arises from my belief. It’s fundamental to me that if we want to fix Nigeria, we must first of all fix the political processes through which our leaders emerge.

“If the process of emergence is fraudulent, is defective, the chances of producing good leaders will not be there,” he said.

Lawal argued that internal democracy within political parties was essential to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic system.

“So it’s fundamental to me that internal democracy within political parties must be practised and strictly adhered to. So when you breach this, I don’t know what else I’ll be doing in politics.”

On the controversial statement in which Lawal described Atiku and some of his supporters using ethnic and religious terms that critics argued could inflame divisions, he affirmed that he would not withdraw the remarks, even if they were perceived as polarising.

“I will not,” he said.

The former SGF linked his position to what he described as years of discrimination experienced as a Christian from the Kilba ethnic group in Adamawa State.

“All my life, I’ve grown up facing discriminations, having to work more than any other person to prove my competence.

“I’ve had to work more than double to show somebody that I’m competent for the position I’m occupying,” he explained.

According to him, such experiences shaped his views on identity politics in Northern Nigeria.

“There are two categories of people. There are category one and category two. You and I are in category two.

“Those in category one think that they are entitled to having whatever they want at the time they want in the manner they want because they are in category one.”

Lawal also defended his earlier praise for defeated presidential aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, describing him as the most qualified among the contenders.

“By all standards, the Nigeria that we want to bequeath to another leader today, of the three, no one comes close to Hayatu-Deen.

“A world-renowned economist, somebody who has distinguished himself in the corporate world, a man that is coming into politics with no baggage at all,” he said.

He argued that if northern politicians were seeking to reclaim the presidency, competence should be the overriding consideration.

“If we are going to do that as northerners, we should as well then do it with a competent person.

Pressed on whether he would support a possible alliance involving Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Lawal said he had yet to make a decision.

“I’m still waiting. At least I’ve made a choice so far. I eliminated APC. Now I’ve eliminated ADC. I’m waiting for other people to throw up their candidates.”