The former Secretary to the Federal Government, Babachir Lawal, says nobody in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has the right to oppose the party’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, from contesting the 2023 Presidency.
Lawal discloses this during an interview with the Punch on Sunday. The former SGF also canvasses that power should be shifted to the South, particularly South-West. He expresses displeasure over some notable northerners desiring Presidency to be retained in their region.
He alleges that some APC governors are fueling the crisis in the party in order for them to take control of the party for their own selfish political purposes. He adds that the overall goal of the politicians is to undo the current structure under President Muhammadu Buhari.
He reveals that the objective of the politicians, whom he alleged to have orchestrated the removal of the former national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, is to oppose the alleged Tinubu’s 2023 presidential aspirations.
He says, “Those who wanted Adams Oshiomhole out are more desperate because of 2023 because as a national chairman of a party, from my own observation, there’s very little he could do to favour or impose a presidential candidate in his party.
“Except we want to bring the wrath of God on our heads, because of his role in building the party, equity and a sense of justice demand that he be given a chance in a free and fair system and let his luck prevail.
“Nobody with a clear conscience in the APC will deny Tinubu the opportunity to contest the Presidency. Nobody within the party has the moral right to even put a stumbling block on his path. The party must create an environment that is free and fair for anybody who wants to contest, including Bola Tinubu. Let the delegates, who must have emerged through a similarly free and fair process, decide who they want to vote for.”
Lawal then urges Buhari to support power rotation to the South in order for his successor to emerge from the region.
“A just and equitable way of doing things is to agree, as gentlemen, that since the North has had its President for the second tenure, the opportunity should be given to the South to produce the next President.”
Lawal adds that the northern region’s hold onto power is an albatross.
He says, “By the way, what did we get from several years of governance with the Presidency being from the North? Since the demise of General Sani Abacha, the country has been into crises of insecurity and poor economy.
“Along the line, we have also had vice-presidents who were northerners. We have had presidents who were northerners but for whatever reason, the system is not improving. Presidency from the North is like an albatross around our neck.”
