Babachir’s Outbursts On National Television Targeted At Destroying Tinubu-George Agbakahi

The recent outbursts of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SFG), Mr. Babachir Lawal on a live television program has been described as an attempt to disdain the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his South East agenda.

Lawal was quoted to have asserted that it would be difficult for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to get enough votes from the South East region in the 2023 presidential election and that the treatment dished by President Muhammadu Buhari to the region will be a child’s play under Tinubu.

A member of the Media and Publicity Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. George Agbakahi said further in a statement that “this is really an unfortunate situation that just portrayed his lack of understanding and poor sense of judgement as far as Asiwaju is concerned in this subject matter.”

Agbakahi added that Senator Tinubu is widely known to be the most welcoming and accommodating Nigerian politician of the modern times.

“As a detribalised leader, he welcomed Igbos and every other willing tribe into Lagos and allowed them to freely do their businesses, develop and lead meaningful lives while he was the state governor.

“He ran an inclusive government and was among the pioneer governors who started appointing non-indigenes as state executives.

“Numerous Igbos have benefited immensely from such administrative initiatives.

“As a glaring example, he appointed an Igbo man from Anambra State, Ben Akabueze, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State for eight years, (1999-2007).

“Is this the same man who according to Lawal “sees no need for the igbos?”

“Infact, to correct his ignorance and ill-feelings, the likes of Mr. Ben Akabueze, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, Hon. Jude Idimogu and many others were launched into prominence through Tinubu’s instrumentality and political wizardry in Lagos in identifying the best brains for the best job irrespective of their ethnic, religious and social background,” the statement read.

According to him, most of the politicians raised by Tinubu remain relevant in today’s modern day Nigeria, saying that “this is a well calculated effort, not a mistake. At a time in political history, Tinubu also gave solid support to the current Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige to be governor of Anambra State, of which today we all can see it’s yielded results.”

He explained that when elected, Tinubu has indicated that there will be no discrimination against Igbos as regards appointment and role giving.

He said: “the interests of Ndigbos will be respected and protected. This is a promise he has always kept with so much ease.

“He has also promised massive infrastructural development in the South East, which will include an additional rail corridor, construction of accessible link up roads for ease of movement within the South East states, a new sea port in Calabar, which will be most essential to decongest the Apapa (Lagos) port and to boost commerce in the south East — a very soft landing for igbo businesses to thrive knowing that the south East remains the commercial hub of the Nation and Africa.

“Asiwaju Tinubu has expressed his indepth interest to transform the South East and her business environment.

“He has promised to nurture the rich entrepreneurial potential of Ndigbo by championing a course that will bring about developments that are fundamental.

“Tinubu’s bid to provide soft loans with the lowest possible interest rate to Igbo youths, no doubt will harness the untapped potentials in the manufacturing industry and merchandise process of the igbos in no small measure. We can only but support him knowing fully well that he has done something similar in the past in his administrative capacity while as Governor of Lagos State.

“Furthermore and more importantly, Asiwaju has also made it clear that he will engage the leaders of the South East in a heart-to-heart discussion on all issues agitating their minds as pertaining to secession and the IPOB demands to resolve all these issues. It is worthy of note that Tinubu is the first and only candidate so far to openly and publicly show some level of concern for the plights of Ndigbo.

“He has promised to meet with the Igbo Leaders in dialogue and hear them out. That, to me, is an indication of someone, who really has the interest of Ndigbo at heart.”

He emphasised that in appreciation of his contributions to Igbos’ development, the traditional rulers of Ebonyi State recently conferred one of the most dignifying and respectable chieftaincy title of Dike dioranma on Asiwaju.

This, he said, is very well commendable, being an egalitarian society, and that the igbos “believe we will have a level playing field with Asiwaju.”

“Even Mr Lawal himself was a strong supporter of Tinubu and has tremendously benefited from his benevolence until things fell apart when Asiwaju ignored considering him as running mate for obvious reasons and his advice against picking Kashim Shettima, a Muslim from Mr Lawal’s North-East zone as running mate.

“Mr Lawal’s latest slam came barely few hours after he declared support for Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party, a move in which he claimed was in consonance with the aspirations of Northern Christians, although some top northern Christian leaders such as Hon. Dogara recently distanced themselves from his support for Mr Peter Obi.

“The former SGF and a group of recalcitrant northern Christians APC chieftains have since vowed not to support their party’s presidential candidate. I advise him to refrain from playing anti-party politics and avoid biting the same finger that fed him because he could be hungry again tomorrow,” he said.