Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir Lawal, has strongly criticized Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for what he perceives as a shift from the party’s original national identity to what he considers an Islamic party.
He accused the party of being indifferent to the concerns of Nigerians and bending the party’s name to serve their own agenda in an illegitimate manner.
In a recent statement released in Abuja, Babachir Lawal challenged the ruling party to display the courage to rename itself the “Islamic Party of Nigeria” if that indeed reflects its true identity.
The statement appears to be a response to a harsh critique from the APC after Babachir Lawal asserted that Peter Obi, not Tinubu, won the 2023 presidential election.
The APC, represented by Felix Morka, strongly criticized Babachir Lawal for his bold statement. However, the former SGF maintained his position and urged the APC to address the issues he raised instead of simply condemning him.
The statement read in part, “I woke up this morning to a very pathetic social media trending write-up, apparently a response to my article on the current political discourse by one Felix, allegedly of the APC.
“I suspect he was assigned this role because it is in the nature of sycophants and people consigned to second-class status to be assigned roles that their masters are wary of taking on.
“Usually, the dirty, unsavoury jobs are contracted out to such. In the bible, a certain Felix (after which this Felix was probably named) was a freed slave who had a reputation of cruelty as the ruler of Judea in order to please his master, the emperor Claudius (of whose mother Felix was a slave).
“I really do sympathise with a Christian who finds himself in an Islamic party and is desperate to please his masters and probably to be noticed when the next round of political appointments come.
“When we founded APC way back in 2013/2014, we envisaged it will be a national party that would carry along all the different socio-political and religious tendencies of the nation.
“In those days, we were careful not to sideline any of the religions or tribes of the country in the composition of the membership and leadership of the party.
‘We wanted a party that will embrace all Nigerians. It was this that informed the principle that both the National Chairman and Secretary will not be of the same religion, tribe or region.
“Sadly, APC has now transitioned into an Islamic Party of Nigeria. All the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) from the North and some from the South are Muslims.
“They campaigned on an Islamization platform and are striving hard to run the government as such, but for the resistance of the other religions.
“All that is now left for the party is a change of name, but even this may not take long since it already has Kadmul Islam as its national chairman and a Muslim as its national secretary.
“The Deputy National Chairman North, who acts in the absence of the Chairman, National Organizing Secretary, National Legal Adviser, and three National Vice Chairmen and more, are Muslims. Good for them.
“And talking of electoral value, both the National Chairman and the National Secretary just dramatically lost in the February 25 election.
“Mallam Felix didn’t do well in his own constituency either. It is based on these considerations that I pity a Christian who finds himself in the position of a spokesperson of an Islamic party.
“Mark my words, all critical decisions will be taken behind his back during the afternoon prayer sessions, which he will be unable to attend.
“As to the substance of the response itself, I find it deliberately obtuse, skating around the real issues raised in my press statement.
“It was empty of substance and logic; a true product of a sycophantic mind that has no capacity to understand the subtle nuances underlying a message delivered to a discerning audience.
“Mallam Felix, your masters got the message loud and clear because some of them have reached out to me for dialogue on the issues raised.
“But in line with your lower status in the scheme of things, you are not aware that all the issues I raised were designed in a manner to deliver a message to a discomfited government that is populated by longstanding friends of mine who appear to have abandoned common sense and patriotism for unbridled personal goals and filthy lucre.
“And they got the message, which you cannot. In this discourse, you are a remote outsider, so shut up.
“We want a Nigeria that works for all. We want a Nigeria that even sycophants can relate to and in which everyone is free to pursue their ambitions in peace in pursuit of prosperity and the good life.
“We want a Nigeria that guarantees freedom of speech for its citizens, just as you and I are doing right now.
“If Bola Tinubu claims he fought Abacha on the side of democracy and free speech, it is unbecoming and unacceptable that the NBC should threaten journalists under his watch.
“It is indefensible to keep the EFCC Chairman and the CBN governor under arrest for extended periods of time without or before trial, just as it is also unacceptable that political parties are used to intimidate and harass citizens exercising their opinions in the public domain.
“I am sure even you and the APC can relate to this. I am also sure that, but for their blind hatred of other Nigerians, not of their tribes or religions, even the Islamists that you serve and desperately seek to please can relate to this.
“I am sure that no Nigerian is enjoying the national shame and embarrassment we are going through as a result of these unending revelations as to who or what our “president” actually is; or that most Nigerians cannot be sure of at least one meal a day anymore; or that we can no longer attend wedding ceremonies in Imo or Zamfara States due to insecurity.
“Know what you may, say what you may; I hold firmly to my assertion that Peter Obi had the majority votes in the February 25 presidential election.
“That was why both INEC and APC had to go rogue in the election; and they know this fact even if they will not admit it. After all the thief knows who stole the item.”