The party said Lawal’s failure to secure the vice presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general election was the reason for his disdain for the incumbent administration.
However, Lawal dismissed the claim, stating that he had no interest in becoming the vice president.
The APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), , told Punch that Lawal’s repeated criticism of Tinubu under the guise of opposing the Muslim-Muslim ticket was nothing more than a mask for his personal disappointment.
He also alleged that his decision to join forces with the ongoing coalition championed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and erstwhile Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, was a carryover of his resentment for the President.
“Babachir was desperate to become Vice President. Nigerians know this. He campaigned vigorously for a Christian from the North to be chosen as his running mate. When that didn’t happen, he turned against the party and the President,” Arodiogbu alleged.
He noted that Tinubu’s decision to pick former Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima as his running mate was a strategic move aimed at consolidating northern votes, even though it triggered a wave of dissent within the party and among Christian leaders.
Arodiogbu stressed that former President Muhammadu Buhari remained supportive of Tinubu and had not been alienated by the President or the party.
“The President has never insulted or criticised Buhari. Even when people like Babachir tried to make him do so during the campaign, he refused. His loyalty has never been in doubt,” he said.
Reacting to the allegation while speaking to the publication mentioned above, Lawal said, “Who said I ever wanted to be Vice President? That’s a lie. I never begged anyone. My position on Tinubu is based on principle, not personal ambition.”
According to him, his opposition to the Tinubu administration was rooted in its policies, which he believed had inflicted hardship on ordinary Nigerians, particularly in the North.
“This is not about me. It’s about policies that are impoverishing Nigerians. The North today looks like a region of internally displaced people. People are suffering,” he lamented.
He accused the Tinubu government of stifling dissent and cracking down on critics, especially those from the North.
“Try offering advice, and they unleash attack dogs on you. This government is now criminalising dissent. People are being locked up for expressing concerns. That is unacceptable,” he said.
