Buhari Saw Osinbajo’s 2023 Presidential Ambition As Immoral, Distasteful – Babachir Lawal

Daud Olatunji

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has said the late former President Muhammadu Buhari considered it immoral and distasteful for his former deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, to contest the 2023 presidential election against President Bola Tinubu.

Lawal said Buhari’s position was informed by his longstanding relationship with Tinubu, whom he described as instrumental to the former president’s emergence as Nigeria’s leader.

According to the former SGF, Buhari would have found it difficult to support Osinbajo against Tinubu, regardless of his personal assessment of the former vice-president’s capacity to govern the country.

Lawal made the claims in an interview with Symfoni TV, published on YouTube on Thursday.

“I’m very close to Buhari; I know him very well. He’s somebody that believes in loyalty. He’s somebody that does issues from the point of view of high morality,” Lawal said while describing the late president’s disposition to political relationships.

He added, “Buhari would find it highly immoral for Osinbajo to contest the same position with Bola Tinubu.”

According to Lawal, Buhari believed Tinubu had played a significant role in his political journey and had subsequently indicated an interest in succeeding him.

“In his type of character, he will find it distasteful because he knew the relationship before; he is the man who recommended him for president, and Bola wants it,” the former SGF said.

Lawal maintained that Buhari would have considered Osinbajo’s decision inappropriate even if he believed the former vice-president could perform better as president.

“Even if he believes that Osinbajo will be a better president or whatever,” Lawal said, explaining what he believed would have been Buhari’s position.

Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, served as vice-president under Buhari from 2015 to 2023.

He contested the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket in 2022 but lost to Tinubu, who went on to win the 2023 presidential election.

Beyond the former vice-president’s presidential ambition, Lawal alleged that Buhari had concerns about Osinbajo’s appointments, particularly the alleged preference for individuals affiliated with his church.

The former SGF claimed that Buhari was aware that several people Osinbajo sought to appoint to his office were Yoruba and members of the same church.

Lawal illustrated his allegation with an account of a memo containing about 28 names submitted for approval as Osinbajo’s take-off staff.

He said the memo allegedly remained unapproved for approximately three months because it had not been forwarded to Buhari by the then Chief of Staff to the President, the late Abba Kyari.

According to Lawal, he eventually obtained a photocopy of the document and personally presented it to Buhari, asking why the appointments had not been approved.

“I said, ‘Oga, see the date my Oga sent a memo. You have not approved. What is the problem?’” he recalled.

Lawal said Buhari examined the list and used a green biro to tick 26 of the 28 names, but expressed concern about their ethnic and religious affiliations.