Buhari Considered Osinbajo’s 2023 Presidential Bid Against Tinubu ‘Indecent, High Immoral’, says Babachir Lawal

Lawal said he inferred Buhari’s concerns from the former president’s actions and body language, although Buhari did not explicitly tell him so.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has said former President Muhammadu Buhari did not consider it decent for his former Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, to contest against President Bola Tinubu for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket in 2023.

Lawal made the remarks in a recent interview with Symfoni TV monitored by SaharaReporters, while discussing why Tinubu might be cautious about handing power to Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

According to Lawal, Buhari appeared concerned that Osinbajo could adopt a similar approach to governance as Tinubu if he became president.

Lawal said he inferred Buhari’s concerns from the former president’s actions and body language, although Buhari did not explicitly tell him so.

“But from his actions and his body language, I could see that he was scared that if Osinbajo became president, what Bola is doing, he will do,” Lawal said.

He added that Buhari also believed Osinbajo should not have challenged Tinubu for the APC presidential ticket.

“But again, he has this, he didn’t think it was decent of Osinbajo to contest with Bola Tinubu. And everybody knew that now. Everybody was grumbling about that now,” he said.

He also claimed Buhari believed it would be “highly immoral” for Osinbajo to contest the presidency against Tinubu, whom Buhari had recommended for the position.

Lawal said Buhari’s loyalty to Tinubu and his reservations about Osinbajo shaped the former president’s thinking about succession.

“He’s the man who recommended him for president and Bola wants it,” Lawal said. “So, Buhari by nature will find it very distasteful, even if he believes that Osinbajo will be a better president,” he said.

Osinbajo, who served as vice-president under Buhari from 2015 to 2023, contested the APC presidential primary in June 2022 against Tinubu and several other aspirants. Tinubu won the party’s ticket and subsequently emerged as president in the 2023 general election.

Lawal also recounted Buhari’s relationship with Tinubu during the formation of the APC government, saying the former president did not seek Tinubu’s input when constituting his cabinet.

According to him, Buhari insisted that he had the right to choose his ministers without being dictated to by other political figures.

Lawal also discussed Buhari’s perception of former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, saying the former president appreciated Fashola’s contributions to the APC and his willingness to support the party financially.

He said Fashola had offered to finance the party’s convention and other projects, while Buhari later appointed him to oversee the portfolios of works, housing and power during his administration.