The Chairman of the African Democratic Congress Adamawa State Primary Electoral Committee, Nicholas Msheliza, has leveled serious accusations against the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal. According to Msheliza, Lawal was the mastermind behind an attempt to manipulate the outcome of the party’s presidential primary in the state.
This counterclaim comes in response to Lawal’s earlier statement that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar rigged his way to victory in the said primary last month. Msheliza, in a statement released on Wednesday, expressed dismay at Lawal’s efforts to justify his actions with what he termed as fabricated excuses of unfair primaries.
Msheliza stated, “I have watched with amusement how hard he tries to defend his actions with phantom excuses of unfair presidential primaries and rigging in favor of Atiku Abubakar.” He further noted that Lawal is distorting facts to cover up his failure and lack of capacity to deliver on what he had promised to his principal.
Addressing the specifics, Msheliza revealed that the local government in question is Hong Local Government Area, Lawal’s own birthplace. He provided vote counts showing Atiku Abubakar secured 11,991 votes, while Hayatu-Deen and Rotimi Amaechi got 2,493 and 377 votes respectively.
According to Msheliza, when Lawal learned of these results, he called and demanded that they be reversed to favor his candidate. Msheliza refused this criminal directive. Shortly after, Lawal dissolved the existing electoral committee in Hong and formed a new one from his office in Abuja, bypassing the state committee. This new team allegedly conducted illegal rigging in Hong, Madagali, Michika, and Mubi North Local Government Areas without proper ward electoral materials.
Msheliza challenged Lawal to present his supposed evidence of rigging for public scrutiny, promising to provide a wealth of evidence in his next statement, including unethical interference and the scam scheme Lawal orchestrated during the primary. He advised Lawal to find other means to settle personal scores with Atiku rather than discrediting a process where Lawal was a chief planner but failed when his rigging attempts were thwarted.
Msheliza concluded, “Instead of hiding his face in shame, Babachir Lawal is now ranting like a rabid dog, unable to justify the enormous resources entrusted to him with the results of the primaries.”