A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, on Monday insisted that he would not support the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 election.
According to him, Atiku’s ambition would not fly as it would amount to the transition of government from one Muslim Fulani President to another Muslim Fulani President.
Lawal was reacting to a report that he has abandoned the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, to work for Atiku.
He warned that Atiku, having his way, would represent ethnic domination by one ethnic group over others, saying “I remain a Peter Obi diehard.”
Lawal in a statement reaffirmed his support for Obi.
The statement read in part, “I have just seen trending news that I have abandoned Peter Obi to work for Atiku Abubakar. There is nothing far from the truth as this. I have never contemplated joining the PDP since its formation as I view the PDP as the worst form of a collection of oligarchs and reactionaries.
“Besides, I find myself every year battling Fulani herdsmen determined to have their animals invade my farms and eat up my crops every year.
This is aside from their determination to take over the ancestral farmlands of my kinsmen as they do everywhere in the North. All these they do in a cavalier manner while their elite kinsmen dominant in the government keep mute.
“Moreover, I view a transition of government from one Muslim Fulani President to another as the worst form of Muslim-Muslim ticket. It also represents ethnic domination by one ethnic group over others. I remain a Peter Obi diehard. Any news to the contrary is fake news.”
