By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, has doubled down on his scathing criticisms of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar , with his call on the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to jettison the idea of fielding him as its 2027 presidential candidate.
The source reports that in the aftermath of the recently conducted primaries of the opposition Coalition platform , Lawal had insisted that Atiku is not deserving of the ADC’s presidential ticket , having allegedly egregiously rigged himself to the position.
Besides, he has also questioned the former Vice President’s competence and abilities to rise above ethnic chauvinism in the onerous task of lifting the country from the precipice.
The former SGF who has announced his temporary exist from the country’s active partisan political space in a lengthy post shared on his official site at the weekend, urged the ADC to seriously consider the withdrawal of Atiku as its presidential flag bearer if it hopes to make any impact in the general elections.
According to Lawal, Atiku does not have the capacity and political wherewithal to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 .
He emphasized that the former Vice President does not have the needed national appeal to secure the presidency for the opposition Coalition.
While reaffirming his earlier refrain that the ADC primaries were heavily manipulated,and compromised, Lawal expressed concern and disappointment that rather than addressing the core issues raised, Atiku and his supporters have resorted to attacking his person.
He urged Nigerians to as a matter of urgent importance subject all the 2027 presidential candidates to close scrutiny, noting that the time has come for the people to question the character and competence level of those seeking to lead them.
Lawal expressed serious regret that his position on Atiku’s ADC presidential ticket has been disappointedly misconstrued as representing attack on the Fulani ethnic group .
He warned that the country will continue to experience leadership deficit ,if constructive criticisms of leaders are perceived from the prism of ethnicity.
“Since my Kachalla 1 post , almost the whole of Nigeria’s Fulani race has descended on me with all manners of insults ,and threats .
“All these insults are predicated on only two planks, with every single of them avoiding my arguments.
“But it is my right to interrogate the character and competence of someone who seeks to be my President.. He is free to step down his ambition if he does not want to be so queried.
” In deed, 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 INEC’s timetable runs out on them
“The second point is the vile propaganda, insults, and threats that the Atiku Abubakar goons ,and social media bandits have been churning out on me because as they claim ,I have insulted the whole Fulani race in pointing out his fallibility .
“Well, if pointing out the danger an Atiku presidency will pose to the country amounts to insulting the whole Fulani race, and if that is how the Fulani race chooses to see it ,so be it . It is a free world.
“But in choosing to view it this way, they only validate my worry that his Presidency will be synonymous with a Fulani Presidency just as Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidency is synonymous with a Yoruba Presidency.(and the Yoruba are proud of him no doubt) .
“Those Fulani attacking me might wish to be reminded too that the Fulani race also includes the elite group of Kabiru Sokoto , Kachalla Bello Turji , Kachalla Ado Alero , Kachalla Dogo Gide , Kachalla Gwaska , Kachalla Shehu Rekep etc .
“These people, by their murderous actions make their race very proud indeed. Or don’t they? And an Atiku Presidency would make these elite group of Fulani very proud indeed; or won’t it ? And it might embolden them, or won’t it?
“This Kachalla’s social media propagandists , devoid of common sense ,and reasoning, and seeing as their Presidential hope is fast slipping away have come after me with a venom and brutality that is the envy of Kachalla Bello Turji, or Kachalla Abubakar Shekau.
“I can see the forests, driven people from their homelands, killed and maimed innocent farmers, ra*ed women while their husbands and parents are watching, destroyed whole villages, kidnapped and or slaughtered travellers ,and made kidnapping a thriving industry, their idle city counterparts have trained themselves into social media bandits just like their brothers, cousins ,and nephews.are in the forest.
“Both appear to be united in wanting to wage an Othman Danfodio Jihad phase II, and now need Kachalla to lead, and coordinate their efforts .
“They have taken over the forests; all they need now is a take over of the Government so our capture will be complete . Some of us see it coming hence our resistance..
”So, I ask once again, why has Atiku Abubakar never publicly sympathized ,or empathized with the victims of these mostly Fulani bandits?
“Why has he never lent a voice to those condemning Kachalla Bello Turji and his colleagues after burning, kidnapping and killing thousands of Hausa victims, sometimes happening in Mosques ,and markets?
“Why has he not done so when same thing happened in Tiv or Idoma lands? Why is he silent when it happens in Birom, Mupum, Irigwe, and Ngas lands in Plateau state ?
“What did he say or do after the kidnapping and brutal murder of the First Class Hausa Emir of Gobir, a Muslim like him? What did he say or do when Christians were massacred in a Church in Suleja or in Owo?
” Why did he recant his condemnation of the brutal and barbaric murder of Deborah Samuel? Could it be because all the victims are not of his tribe/race? Could it be this is the trend we should expect if per remote chance he becomes President? .
“Now, someone tell me ,are we wrong to enquire into the character and competence of someone who wants to be a Commander-in-Chief of our military ,and the Sole Manager of our common patrimony”, Lawal queried.
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