Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, has claimed that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal, is angry with President Bola Tinubu because he was snubbed as running mate in the 2023 election.
Earlier this month, Lawal who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today, criticised the Tinubu administration, accusing the president of being arrogant and unapproachable.
“He (Tinubu) is arrogant. The guy has an arrogance that belies definitions. The problem with Bola Tinubu is that he thinks I’m the one that offended him,” Lawal said.
“I didn’t offend him, he offended me and he is full of himself, and he thinks that because he is now so-called president… I believe he didn’t win the election.”
Reacting on the same television show on Tuesday, Wike claimed Lawal’s outburst stems from Tinubu’s decision to pick Kashim Shettima instead of him as his running mate in 2023.
“When Mr President chose his vice-presidential candidate, I was one of those whom Babachir visited,” Wike said.
“He came to my house in Port Harcourt with one of the former speakers of the house of representatives.
“His anger was that he thought Mr President would have chosen him as a vice-presidential candidate. Having not done that, all hell must be let loose.”
The FCT minister also stated that Lawal’s conduct shows bitterness rather than genuine criticism.
“It was very clear, we are not kids. Even a child who is intelligent would know where your anger is,” he said.
The former Rivers governor said he once thought Lawal deserved respect but has now realised that “he is not a man you can take for his words”.
“There are people I have had respect for; you find out that you are just holding them in high esteem for nothing,” he said.
“While I was a governor, I used to think that people like Babachir Lawal are people you should have respect for, until I started observing things. I never knew that he is not a man you can take for his words.
“I watched the interview and the unpalatable words he used against Mr President, how he said that Mr President is full of himself. It is really unfortunate.
“A man will come out on national television not to genuinely criticise what Mr President has done wrong, but to accuse him simply because he had a relationship with Mr President before.
“That does not give him the latitude to come on national television to say a President of a country is full of himself. He doesn’t even call him ‘President’; he just says ‘Bola’.”
