‘Your Heart Is Full Of Bitterness, I Pity You’ — Atiku Fires Back At Babachir Over Ethnic Slurs 

Former VicFe President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has lashed out at former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, saying the latter’s recent public comments revealed “a heart full of bitterness” and a man increasingly driven by anger rather than reason.

The criticism was contained in a statement released on Sunday and signed by Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku, in which the former vice president accused Babachir of resorting to ethnic profiling, prejudice, and conspiracy theories in his attacks against him over mere political difference.

The former vice president, however, reserved his strongest words for Babachir’s recent comments, saying they reflected a man consumed by resentment.

“His heart appears full of bitterness and his public utterances increasingly reflect anger rather than reason, grievance rather than evidence. While we do not share his hostility, we genuinely pity him. Politics should not reduce a man to a permanent state of outrage,” Atiku said.

“Mr. Lawal would be better served by stepping away from the politics of hate and embracing the kind of reflection and personal healing that can restore perspective and balance. Nigeria needs statesmen, not merchants of bitterness.”

Atiku said it was unfortunate that a man of Babachir’s standing had “chosen to abandon facts and reason in favour of ethnic profiling, prejudice, and conspiracy theories in his desperate attempt to discredit a political opponent.”

According to Atiku, despite Babachir’s lengthy public attacks, he failed to provide any evidence to support what he described as grave allegations against him.

“Throughout his lengthy public attacks, Babachir Lawal failed to present a single piece of evidence to support his grave allegations, choosing instead to invite Nigerians to substitute suspicion for proof and emotion for facts,” the statement said.

Atiku argued that the most troubling aspect of Lawal’s intervention was not the criticism itself, but what he described as repeated attempts to associate an entire ethnic group with criminality.

“He said it was both dangerous and irresponsible to suggest that any Nigerian should be judged, condemned, or held accountable for crimes committed by individuals simply because they share a common ancestry,” he stated.