The Special Assistant to Atiku Abubakar on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, has dismissed allegations that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary that produced the former Vice President as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general elections was fraudulent.
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Shaibu was reacting to claims by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who alleged that the primary election was rigged.
Shaibu was reacting to claims by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who alleged that the primary election was rigged.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Shaibu insisted that the exercise was credible and challenged claims that it was manipulated.
“Anybody who claims rigging or irregularity in the last election should check the places and locations they won. Where are the states that Rotimi Amaechi won? If you check the figures and the margins he got there, you will know that those are his strongholds. It was not a fraudulent process,” he said.
Shaibu maintained that the burden of proving the allegations rests on Lawal.
According to him, Atiku was the most popular among the contestants, which included former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, making his victory unsurprising.
During an appearance on Politics Today on Monday, Lawal had claimed he personally monitored the exercise and had evidence that the primary was rigged.
“Don’t forget I was the National Vice Chairman (North-East). I was in the field during the exercise, so I have evidence. Atiku’s people are the ones trying to deny what they did. We are all human beings. We know what they did.
“I knew the primary was rigged at the point it was being done and the results declared,” he said.
Responding further, Shaibu likened Lawal’s reaction to that of a baby throwing tantrums after being deprived of its mother’s breast.
“Babachir reminds me of a baby who is yanked off her mother’s breast while suckling. It is like a deprived suckling; definitely the baby will throw tantrums. He admitted on your show that his preferred candidate was Hayatu-Deen. He worked for him,” Shaibu said.
