Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and a Northern ally of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has expressed reservation for his outburst against President Mohammadu Buhari.
Lawal described as ‘bullshit’, Tinubu’s comment about helping Buhari to win the 2015 presidential election after failing thrice at Abeokuta, Ogun State when he was speaking with the party’s delegates.
At the event, Tinubu, who spoke in Yoruba, also boasted of helping Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to become the vice president and Dapo Abiodun of becoming the Ogun State governor, adding that it was his turn to become the Nigeria’s President.
Lawal said Tinubu’s comment could hinder his chances at the party’s presidential primary holding on Monday in Abuja.
Lawal, who with Hon. John Faleke bought the APC presidential expression of interest and nomination forms for Tinubu, in a statement, said: “It is unfortunate that only three days away from the primary election, Tinubu is engaging in what may impede the effort of his Northern friends and allies.
“Now all these comments about Bola’s Yoruba presidency and his support of Buhari without which Buhari would not have been president is totally out of place.
“Sometimes it is very difficult to support a Yoruba person in national politics if you are not one. They have a way of making you regret your support because they eventually make you seem like a trap to your own people.
“Now all these comments about Bola’s Yoruba presidency and his support of Buhari without which Buhari would not have been president is bulshit.
“He wasn’t the only one whose support made a difference. There were many others from all around the country and they are not bragging about it.
“You may wish to know that all of us Buhari supporters are shocked and pissed off by Bola’s speech on this occasion. It is unlike him.
“And this speech is massively trending in the North and being given a negative connotation as you can well imagine. I first read it this morning on an Adamawa group platform and the anger is palpable and all round.
“Bola Tinubu’s main strength lies in the north but the comments have heightened palpable anger among his northern supporters who received the speech has a direct attack on the north.
“Will Tinubu win Monday’s APC primaries without Northern support? You would think Yorubas will resist the temptation of joining in the northerners-bashing game at this very critical time – the primary election is only three days away, but it unfortunately that Bola himself chose to join in this bashing game – choosing to speak in the Yoruba language and in Yoruba land in a manner that seems to denigrate Buhari. I could vividly imagine the discomfort of all the northerners sitting beside him on that podium.
“This appears to be the Abiola saga being replayed. Abiola won the election with a majority of Northern votes but they took the brunt of the post-election protests that followed.
“Just survey all the people that are doing more meaningful practical things to enthroned Bola as president and you will find that almost all are northerners while his kinsmen engage themselves in social media activism and Northern bashing.
“My relationship with Tinubu is very intact but I am merely cautioning him against making utterances that may impede his chances of clinching the ticket. When Yorubas vilify the North like this, our sense of fear and insecurity under a Yoruba presidency gets heightened and in the end, pushes us to rethink our support for not only Bola but any Yoruba as president for that matter.
“Please, do not join our opponents to destroy our chances of clinching Monday’s primary elections.”
