Why Buhari Found It Difficult To Manage Yorubas – Babachir Lawal

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has spoken on his relationship with the late former President Muhammadu Buhari and the role he played in managing political relationships.

Naija News reports that Lawal, in an interview on ARISE TV, said Buhari relied on his relationship with President Bola Tinubu and a founding chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande, when dealing with political matters involving the Yoruba people.

According to the former SGF, Buhari had observed his connections with Tinubu and Akande and believed he could help him manage relationships with the Yoruba community.

Lawal said he made efforts to carry out the role during his time in government, while maintaining that there was human relationship between him and Buhari despite the political differences that later emerged.

He said: “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.”

Buhari appointed Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation on August 27, 2015, shortly after taking office as President.

However, his tenure was cut short after he was suspended on April 19, 2017, following a Senate investigation into allegations surrounding contracts awarded under the Presidential Initiative on the North East, PINE.

Following the investigation and the controversy surrounding the contracts, Buhari terminated Lawal’s appointment as SGF on October 30, 2017.

He was replaced by Boss Mustapha, who subsequently served as Buhari’s SGF until the end of the administration in 2023.