Osinbajo More Competent Than You, Babachir Lawal Hits Tinubu Again

Nigeria’s immediate past Secretary to the Federal Government, Babachir Lawal, has said the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, is more competent to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari than Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu – the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.

Lawal said this on Thursday while reacting for the second time to Tinubu’s selection of a fellow Muslim, Senator Kashim Ibrahim Shettima, as his vice-presidential running mate.

THE WHISTLER reported that Tinubu, a Muslim from the Southern region, had described Shettima as the man to “bring the best governance to all Nigerians”, citing the former Borno governor’s competence as his reason for picking him.

In apparent response to the expected criticism that would trail his Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, Tinubu had in a statement announcing Shettima as his running mate said: “Our focus, therefore, must be on getting the job done; and that means getting the very best and competent people to do it. In this crucial moment, where so much is at stake, we must prioritize leadership, competence, and the ability to work as a team over other considerations.”

But Babachir, who had earlier described Tinubu’s choice as a “disastrous error”, insisted that a Muslim-Muslim ticket is a threat to the country’s unity.

The former SGF had warned that if not reversed, the move will eventually “drag down the whole APC members to the pit”.

Speaking in an Arise TV interview on Thursday, Lawal said if competence was the consideration for picking APC’s presidential candidate, Osinbajo whom he described as more competent than Tinubu, would have emerged as the ruling party’s candidate.

“First of all, nobody should aspire to be president of this country if he knows there will be religious dichotomy in the system. You will antagonise the Christian majority in this country. It’s a direct attack on them and even in your own zone because when it comes to religion, Nigerians take religion first.

“Now, you jeopardize the whole of the Christians in the north, in the south-south, in the south-east.

“If it is based on competence, Tinubu, who has one degree in business administration, cannot beat professor Osinbajo. So, competence in what? Who examines this competence? Is it an exam?

“So, in any case, maybe given that Shettima is the most competent person from the north, which exam did he take?

“Islam preaches justice. Why can’t they see this? No Muslim would want to live in acrimonious relationship with his neighbour.

“See me, B.D. Lawal, a Christian, APC chieftain, a friend of Bola Tinubu, how will I go to Adamawa and stay on the podium and say vote for Bola and his Muslim-Muslim ticket?” the former SGF queried.

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