In a surprising turn of events, Dr. David Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has contested the outcome of the February 25 presidential election, declaring Peter Gregory Obi of the Labour Party as the actual winner, contrary to the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) naming Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the victor.
Babachir Lawal, who claims to have analyzed data from various independent sources, asserted that Tinubu secured a distant third place in the number of votes, with Obi leading and Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in second place. He expressed skepticism about the fairness of the electoral process, stating that Tinubu knew he wouldn’t win in a free and fair contest.
In a statement, Lawal criticized Tinubu’s participation in the election, citing the unfolding revelations about his biodata and suggesting that ethical considerations should have led him to voluntarily step down. Lawal urged Tinubu to resign to avoid further public humiliation and embarrassment.
According to Lawal, “Available factual data as aggregated from several independent sources indicate that Obi got the majority votes while Atiku came second. Bola came a distant third in the number of votes scored.
“My answer to the second inquiry is that given the now unfolding deluge of uncomplimentary information about who or what he actually is, ordinarily, sound ethics and morality should have convinced him to voluntarily excuse himself from participation in the election.
“But this, notwithstanding, I believe he still has time and opportunity to save himself this public humiliation and embarrassment to his person, both locally and internationally by resigning so that he can give more attention to his health.
“After all, no one knows about the truism of these severely embarrassing and humiliating exposures about his person than the man himself.
“Leadership is all about integrity; sound pedigree, trustworthiness, and the ability to unite and instill hope and confidence in the people one seeks to lead. In these qualities, most Nigerians are in total agreement that Bola has them in very very short supply indeed.
“But now, six months down the line, the chicken has come home to roost as Nigerians have come to the realization that we have not got what we deserve politically.
“Confusion and despondency are now all over the nation as no one trusts the government to do what it says it will do. No one trusts the leader, and no one trusts appointees who are appointed as rewards for their roles in the election or who had in the past helped him in his life.
“Bola the President and his group are now in government and are in full control of Nigeria’s vast resources and opportunities. They are enjoying their offices while Nigerians languish in insecurity, poverty, and hopelessness” the former SGF said.
Lawal, emphasizing the importance of leadership integrity, accused Tinubu’s government of failing to deliver on campaign promises and criticized the composition of political appointments as a reward system rather than a reflection of competence. He raised concerns about rising fuel prices, the depreciation of the Naira, and escalating insecurity, blaming the current administration for the nation’s challenges.
As Lawal speaks out against the alleged electoral irregularities and challenges within the government, his statements add fuel to the ongoing political discourse, questioning the legitimacy of the election results and raising ethical considerations about leadership in Nigeria.
