Lawal sparks controversy, says Atiku residency would amount to ‘Fulani Presidency’

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has stirred fresh political controversy with remarks suggesting that a presidency led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar would be synonymous with a Fulani presidency.

Lawal made the remarks in a post published on his Facebook page late Saturday, days after his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) amid allegations that the party’s primary election process was flawed.

The former SGF claimed that comments he previously made about Atiku had triggered a backlash from members of the Fulani ethnic group, whom he said had responded with insults and threats. According to him, criticism directed at the former presidential candidate had been interpreted by some as an attack on the entire Fulani race.

In the social media post, Lawal argued that just as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is widely associated with the Yoruba ethnic group, an Atiku administration would similarly be viewed as representing Fulani interests.

“Atiku’s presidency will be synonymous to a Fulani presidency even as Bola Tinubu’s presidency is synonymous to a Yoruba presidency and the Yorubas are proud of him no doubt,” Lawal wrote.

He further alleged that supporters of the former vice president had launched a coordinated campaign of insults and threats against him for expressing concerns about Atiku’s suitability for the presidency.

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“The vile propaganda, insults and threats that Atiku’s 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,” he stated.

Lawal maintained that raising concerns about what he described as the potential implications of an Atiku presidency should not be interpreted as an attack on an ethnic group. He, however, added that if members of the Fulani community chose to see it that way, they were entitled to their opinion.

“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,” he added.

The comments have added another layer to Nigeria’s often heated political discourse, where issues of ethnicity, regional representation and leadership continue to shape public debate ahead of future electoral contests.

Lawal, a prominent northern political figure and former ally of President Tinubu, has in recent months become increasingly vocal about his political preferences and reservations regarding leading figures across the country’s political landscape.

His latest remarks are expected to generate reactions from political stakeholders, supporters of Atiku, and ethnic interest groups across the country.