Akande Disputes Babachir Lawal’s Claim, Says Buhari Backed Osinbajo’s 2023 Ambition

Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s former spokesperson, Laolu Akande, has challenged Babachir Lawal’s account of Muhammadu Buhari’s position on Osinbajo’s 2023 presidential ambition, saying the former president offered to support the bid on at least four occasions.

Akande, who served as Osinbajo’s spokesperson between 2015 and 2023, dismissed as false Lawal’s claim that Buhari regarded the former vice-president’s ambition as “highly immoral and distasteful”.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Akande said his experience working closely with Osinbajo gave him direct knowledge of events surrounding the former vice-president’s political activities.

He said he decided to respond after watching an interview in which Lawal made the allegations, noting that he had been present when decisions concerning Osinbajo’s office were taken.

According to Akande, Buhari had personally indicated his willingness to support Osinbajo’s presidential aspiration on at least four separate occasions.

He quoted the former president as asking Osinbajo, “If I don’t support you, who will I support?”

Akande further cited Buhari’s remarks at a Federal Executive Council meeting during the 2022 APC presidential campaign, saying the former president publicly praised Osinbajo for conducting a dignified campaign focused on issues.

“He was consistent. During the APC presidential primaries in 2022, while campaigns were underway, President Buhari openly commended Vice President Osinbajo at a Federal Executive Council meeting for the dignified, issues-based manner in which he was conducting his campaign across the country. He spoke in a laudatory tone. The entire Council witnessed it,” he said.

Akande maintained that the episode was inconsistent with Lawal’s assertion that Buhari found Osinbajo’s ambition distasteful.

“That is not a President who found Osinbajo’s ambition distasteful. That is a President who broached it, encouraged and applauded it,” he added.

Lawal, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, had argued in a recent interview that Buhari’s close relationship with Bola Tinubu would have made it difficult for him to support Osinbajo’s presidential bid.

Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, eventually secured the APC presidential ticket in June 2022 and went on to win the 2023 general election.

Osinbajo finished third in the party’s presidential primary with 235 votes, behind Amaechi, who received 316 votes, and Tinubu, who won with 1,271 votes.

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