In a statement issued on Sunday by Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, the former vice president’s camp said Lawal was “in a state of stupor” while Atiku was condemning terrorist and banditry attacks and proposing solutions to address the security crisis.
The statement, titled “Babachir Lawal was in a state of stupor while Atiku was condemning, empathising and proffering solutions to terrorist, banditry attacks in Benue, Plateau, others,” described Lawal’s recent comments as evidence of “revisionism.”
“We read with amusement but concern for the mental state of former SGF Babachir Lawal, his latest attempt at revisionism of his disgraceful public service record and failed efforts to cause the rigging of the ADC presidential primary,” the statement said.
“It is becoming obvious that Babachir Lawal is going bunkers possibly from the abuse of booze.”
The Atiku Media Office also accused Lawal of avoiding questions about his alleged conduct during the ADC presidential primary.
“Instead of addressing the issue of his ignominious role in presiding over a scam in which he allegedly extorted money to deliver the presidential ticket, but failed because those charged with the responsibility of conducting the election stopped him in his tracks, Babachir Lawal has resorted to personal attacks against Atiku Abubakar,” the statement added.
Defending Atiku’s record on security matters, Ibe said it was inaccurate to suggest that the former vice president had been silent on attacks by terrorists and bandits.
“Babachir Lawal may have been preoccupied with hitting the sauce but it is public record that the Waziri had always spoken against terrorist and banditry attacks and shown empathy to communities that were attacked,” he said.
The statement noted that despite being “Fulani from Adamawa, in the North East region,” Atiku had “frequently spoken out and forcefully too in condemnation of terrorist and banditry attacks and the escalating wave of kidnappings across Nigeria.”
According to the media office, Atiku has consistently criticised the Federal Government over the worsening security situation.
“When responding to these incidents, he often criticizes the Federal Government and the leader of the government of the day, and in this dispensation, President Bola Tinubu, arguing that the country’s security architecture is collapsing and that officials rely on ‘empty statements’ rather than taking decisive, preventive action,” the statement said.
The media office further highlighted several proposals allegedly advanced by the former vice president to tackle insecurity.
“It is also on record that the Waziri Adamawa advocates for an overhaul of Nigeria’s counterterrorism framework. He has frequently called on the National Assembly to pass legislation that would allow state governments to arm their own security outfits with modern weapons to complement overstretched federal forces.”
The statement added that Atiku had urged communities to support security agencies with intelligence and had advocated the establishment of a National Victims and Survivors Support Framework to provide psychological support, educational opportunities and economic recovery programmes for victims of attacks.
It also said that in one of his recent engagements, Atiku proposed the establishment of special courts to prosecute terrorism and banditry cases.
“In one of his most recent engagements, the former Vice President proposed for a Special Courts to not only try these criminals but that those found guilty be handed capital punishment,” the statement said.
The Atiku camp concluded by urging Lawal to review Atiku’s public interventions on insecurity.
“When Babachir Lawal is eventually sober, he may wish to take out time to review some of the links of news reports in which Atiku Abubakar spoke against terrorist and banditry attacks and proferred solutions. Those engagements covered every state of the country without exception,” Ibe said.