Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has stirred political debate after alleging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be difficult to defeat in the 2027 presidential election if electoral manipulation determines the outcome.
Lawal made the remarks on Monday during an appearance on Politics Today, a programme aired by Channels Television.
Responding to a question on whether he believed President Tinubu had already secured victory in the 2027 presidential race, Lawal claimed that the President would defeat all opponents if the election was influenced by rigging.
“Landslide. He will out-rig everybody,” Lawal said.
“If the parameter for winning the election in Nigeria is rigging, nobody can face Bola Tinubu in this.”
The former SGF also took a swipe at former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, , suggesting that if electoral manipulation were a factor, Tinubu would still have the advantage.
“If Atiku’s strength is in manipulating results, I wish him luck. He will meet the master rigger in the front. And then we are all the worse for it,” he said.
Lawal added that he had no interest in participating in a political process he believes could be influenced by manipulation.
During the interview, he was also asked about his repeated use of the term “Kachalla” in reference to Atiku.
Explaining his position, Lawal said the title is commonly used in some northern communities to refer to local leaders.
When pressed on whether the term implied a comparison with bandit leaders or criminal elements, he denied making such a direct comparison but linked the title to Fulani cultural usage.
“His people, in the bush, they call their leaders Kachalla. Is he not a Fulani man?” Lawal said.
He further questioned the reaction of some Fulani groups celebrating Atiku’s emergence as the ADC presidential candidate, arguing that ethnic support should not overshadow concerns about insecurity.
“Fulanis are celebrating now that their brother has gotten the ticket. Isn’t it? And they are beginning to celebrate that they will produce the president,” he said.
Lawal also questioned whether Atiku had sufficiently condemned incidents of kidnapping and violent attacks across the country.
As of the time of filing this report, neither President Tinubu nor Atiku Abubakar had publicly responded to the remarks.
Source: Interview on Politics Today, Channels Television, TheCable
