Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has called on Nigerians not to support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election, accusing him of pursuing ethnic politics.
Lawal made the remarks during a telephone interview on Wednesday while commenting on 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 Tukur Modibbo.
According to Lawal, Omar emerged as the party's candidate through the primary election and should not be replaced.
"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," he alleged.
Lawal further accused the former vice president of practising ethnic politics and advised Nigerians against voting for him in the next presidential election.
However, Atiku has denied the allegations, describing them as false and unfounded.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said he was not involved in any attempt 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 said.
Shaibu maintained that Atiku neither convened any meeting nor gave any directive aimed at changing the party's governorship 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 former vice president's camp also alleged that the claims were being circulated by individuals seeking to undermine the growing cohesion within the ADC.
According to the statement, those behind the allegations were attempting to create divisions within the party through misinformation.
It urged party members, supporters and the general public to disregard what it described as "malicious propaganda" and reaffirmed the party's commitment to due process, internal democracy and decisions taken by its constitutionally recognised organs.
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