Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has explained why he believes Nigeria Democratic Congress’s (NDC) 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is currently the strongest contender ahead of the 2027 general election, while predicting defeat for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Speaking during an interview, Lawal said Obi’s leadership qualities and perceived fairness place him ahead of other potential presidential hopefuls.
According to him, Obi would strive to be fair to all Nigerians and act in the country’s best interest if elected.
“Peter Obi will try to be fair to everybody. Peter Obi will try to do that which is right,” Lawal said.
He disclosed that he assessed the major political figures likely to feature in the 2027 race, giving Obi the highest rating.
“I’ll give them on my own scale. Peter Obi and Kwankwaso, I’ll pair them. They’ll be close to like 70 per cent. Bola, 50. Atiku, zero,” he stated.
Lawal expressed confidence that Atiku would not emerge victorious in the next presidential election.
“Definitely, Atiku will lose. He will, and I pray he loses. I’m not the only one, and he will lose,” he said.
The former SGF also commented on former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as a capable individual but criticising what he called the politician’s “excessive ambition.”
“It is just unfortunate that because of his maybe personal excessive ambition, he decided to pair with the devil. But I have nothing against him. Overall, my assessment of him as a human being, as a person, is positive,” Lawal said.
On President Bola Tinubu, Lawal acknowledged the President’s generosity before assuming office, recalling instances where Tinubu allegedly assisted people financially without seeking immediate rewards.
“Bola has given some people a stupendous amount of money to help them out of a crisis that I know firsthand, without expecting anything,” he said.
However, he argued that Tinubu had changed since becoming President.
“I think it has to be a gift from God. He can see in you future returns for himself in advance. But suddenly, I don’t know what has happened; he has lost his soul. Having come to this government, he has lost his soul,” Lawal alleged.
Lawal also took a swipe at the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, saying he had known him since their days at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
According to him, he had observed some of Ribadu’s “idiosyncrasies” and “character flaws” while they were at the university, adding that he questioned Ribadu’s role in the handling of a recent controversy involving a government agency.
The former SGF’s comments come amid growing political discussions over possible alliances and candidates ahead of the 2027 presidential election, although political parties have yet to begin formal campaigns.Pete
