Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring that he will never forgive him for what he describes as arrogance, ingratitude, and the blatant neglect of political allies who stood by him before the 2023 elections.
In an interview with Channels Television, Lawal accused Tinubu of sidelining those who helped him rise to power and refusing to address grievances that have lingered since the heated election period. According to him, Tinubu’s conduct in office has only confirmed his long-held belief that the president has little regard for loyalty or political friendships.
“When you become president, it doesn’t change who you are,” Lawal said. “But with him, there is an arrogance that clouds his humanity. Age or wealth cannot silence my truth.”
Lawal, who was sacked as SGF in 2017 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, insisted his fallout with Tinubu was rooted in principle, not personal bitterness. “If we have a conflict, we resolve it and I move on. I will never compromise my principles just to please someone or gain from them,” he stressed.
The former SGF doubled down on his controversial claim that Labour Party flag bearer Peter Obi was the true winner of the 2023 presidential election, citing field data allegedly gathered by his team. “We had auditors and agents on the ground. In Anambra and Abia, Obi took more than 90 percent of the vote. Even in Lagos, he beat Bola Tinubu,” Lawal asserted. He alleged that subsequent elections saw deliberate voter suppression aimed at preventing a repeat of the demographic upset that favored Obi in 2023.
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“They didn’t understand Lagos demographics at first. It shocked them. But they addressed that in later elections,” he claimed.
When asked if reconciliation with Tinubu was possible, Lawal flatly rejected the idea. “I am at peace. I have no reason to revisit the past. I stayed away from Buhari after I left government, and I will do the same with Tinubu,” he said.
He also expressed relief that he is not part of the current administration, claiming its governance style conflicts with his values. “If I were in this government, I probably would have been sacked long ago, or worse,” he remarked.
Lawal accused Tinubu of centralizing power in the hands of a tight circle of loyalists, largely from his Yoruba ethnic base, while disregarding those outside his inner circle. “When you support them and they win, they behave as though they have subdued you. They will never acknowledge your support,” he added.
