Babachir Lawal: Buhari Found It Difficult to Manage Yorubas, Wanted Me to Handle Them

ABUJA — Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has said the late former President Muhammadu Buhari found it difficult to manage the Yoruba people and sought to use his relationships with prominent Yoruba leaders to engage them.

Lawal disclosed that Buhari wanted to leverage his relationship with President Bola Tinubu and All Progressives Congress (APC) founding chieftain Bisi Akande to manage political relations with the Yoruba community.

The former SGF made the revelation during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday night, where he also spoke about his relationship with Buhari after leaving office.

According to Lawal, Buhari maintained contact with him despite their political differences and eventual fallout.

“Buhari never let me go, he threw me under the bus but we later became okay. He would call me and we will gist, he will ask me what I think about this and that,” he said.

Lawal said he believed Buhari’s interest in maintaining their relationship was linked to his connections with Tinubu and Akande.

“There was still clearly some sort of human relationship. Somehow there is an unwritten relationship between us and Buhari.

“It seems like it’s because of my relationship with Bola and Bisi Akande that he could use me to manage the Yorubas whom he found difficult to manage and of course I tried my best,” he added.

Lawal’s Tenure as SGF

Buhari appointed Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation on August 27, 2015.

However, Lawal was suspended on April 19, 2017, following a Senate investigation into a contract controversy popularly known as the “grass-cutting” scandal.

The investigation focused on contracts linked to the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE), which Lawal headed, and funds intended to address the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s Northeast.

The Senate ad hoc committee accused Lawal of abusing his office by awarding contracts to a company in which he allegedly had a direct interest, Global Vision Limited.

One of the disputed contracts involved more than N500 million allocated for clearing invasive grass and weeds along water channels in Yobe State to prevent flooding in vulnerable communities and refugee camps.

The funds were allegedly diverted, according to the allegations examined during the investigation.

Buhari terminated Lawal’s appointment on October 30, 2017, and appointed Boss Mustapha as his replacement.

Lawal’s latest comments offer insight into his relationship with Buhari, including the political connections he believes influenced their interactions after his departure from government.