The All Progressives Congress has accused former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, of waging a sustained campaign against President Bola Tinubu out of bitterness.

The party said Lawal’s failure to secure the vice presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general election was the reason for his disdain for the administration.

The claim, was, however, swiftly dismissed by the ex-SGF, who described it as a diversionary tactic to deflect public attention from what he termed the abysmal performance of the Tinubu administration.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, the APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, said Lawal’s repeated criticism of Tinubu under the guise of opposing the Muslim-Muslim ticket was nothing more than a mask for his personal disappointment.

He also alleged that his decision to join forces with the ongoing coalition championed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and erstwhile Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, was a carryover of his resentment for the President.

“Babachir was desperate to become Vice President. Nigerians know this. He campaigned vigorously for a Christian from the North to be chosen as his running mate. When that didn’t happen, he turned against the party and the President,” Arodiogbu alleged.

He noted that Tinubu’s decision to pick former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate was a strategic move aimed at consolidating northern votes, even though it triggered a wave of dissent within the party and among Christian leaders.

The controversy over the Muslim-Muslim ticket led to high-profile defections from the APC, including Lawal, former House Speaker Yakubu Dogara, and Daniel Bwala.

While both Dogara and Bwala had returned to the fold, Lawal had joined the coalition against the President’s second-term bid in 2027.

Arodiogbu stressed that former President Muhammadu Buhari remained supportive of Tinubu and had not been alienated by the President or the party.

“The President has never insulted or criticised Buhari. Even when people like Babachir tried to make him do so during the campaign, he refused. His loyalty has never been in doubt,” he said.

Dismissing Lawal’s criticism as self-serving, Arodiogbu said Nigerians had not forgotten Lawal’s record in office.

“Everyone remembers his time as SGF. If we criticise his actions then or now, that’s not dragging Buhari into anything—it’s holding Babachir accountable,” he said.

When confronted with the allegation that his grievances stemmed from being overlooked for the vice presidency, Lawal scoffed.

“Who said I ever wanted to be Vice President? That’s a lie. I never begged anyone. My position on Tinubu is based on principle, not personal ambition,” he told The PUNCH.

According to him, his opposition to the Tinubu administration was rooted in its policies, which he believed had inflicted hardship on ordinary Nigerians, particularly in the North.

“This is not about me. It’s about policies that are impoverishing Nigerians. The North today looks like a region of internally displaced people. People are suffering,” he lamented.

He accused the Tinubu government of stifling dissent and cracking down on critics, especially those from the North.

“Try offering advice, and they unleash attack dogs on you. This government is now criminalising dissent. People are being locked up for expressing concerns. That is unacceptable,” he said.

Lawal also said Tinubu’s administration was attempting to deflect blame onto former President Buhari, arguing that Tinubu loyalists had become increasingly disrespectful to the former leader.

“At first, they were cautious about Buhari. Now, they’re openly blaming him for everything. But with 2027 around the corner, they are crawling back, trying to win his ĺoyalty,” he added.

https://punchng.com/apc-ex-sgf-in-war-of-words-over-tinubus-performance/