Former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), harbored significant resentment after President Bola Tinubu did not select him as his vice-presidential candidate.
Speaking during a Channels Television interview on Tuesday, Wike claimed that Lawal personally visited him in Port Harcourt while he was still governor to express his displeasure over being passed over for the position.
"After President Tinubu chose Shettima as his VP, Babachir Lawal visited me in my home in Port Harcourt. He was angry because he thought the president would choose him as his VP," Wike stated during the interview.
This revelation comes amid recent criticism from the All Progressives Congress (APC) directed at Lawal following his controversial statements about the 2023 presidential election. Lawal had claimed that Labour Party candidate Peter Obi actually won the election that ultimately declared Tinubu as Nigeria's 16th president.
The APC responded by describing Lawal as "the latest political content creator cum soothsayer who is gasping for political oxygen," suggesting that his criticism stems from personal disappointment rather than factual analysis.
According to the ruling party, Lawal's attacks on Tinubu are motivated by his unfulfilled ambition to become vice president, claiming that Tinubu instead opted for "a better, more qualified, and more refined candidate" in Kashim Shettima.
Wike's recent statements appear to corroborate the APC's position, adding a new dimension to the ongoing political discourse surrounding the aftermath of the 2023 elections and internal dynamics within Nigeria's political landscape.
The former Rivers governor has been a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, often making headlines for his outspoken views and political maneuvers that have sometimes crossed party lines.
Neither Babachir Lawal nor representatives from the presidency have responded to Wike's claims as of the time of this report.
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