Tinubu’s meeting with Pope, insult to Christianity — Babachir Lawal

Tinubu’s meeting with Pope, insult to Christianity — Babachir Lawal

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu’s presence in Rome for the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV wasn’t an achievement, saying his presence there reinforced the insult of Muslim-Muslim ticket on the Christian population in the country.

He also claimed the visit might have been made possible by lobbyists to launder the President’s image.

Recall that President attended the Pope’s inauguration at the Vatican last week, following invitation conveyed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State.

Speaking in an interview on Arise Television yesterday, Lawal equally said the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), was not being considered for ongoing efforts at forming a coalition against President Tinubu because it had “incurable virus.”

Noting that Tinubu’s presence at the Pope’s inauguration wasn’t a big deal and a non-issue, Lawal said: “You know that going to see the Pope is just a matter of your lobby. How well you can lobby, how many friends you have out there in the Vatican that can lobby for you?

“So, it is not as if it’s a major achievement to visit the Pope on his inauguration. It can be arranged in advance by lobbyists, probably with the correct inducement. So, Bola Tinubu going to visit the Pope is a non-issue.’’

He said Tinubu’s meeting with the Pope further reinforced his sentiment that a Muslim-Muslim ticket was an insult to Christians, saying a Muslim should not be leading eminent Christians to the Pope.

According to him, the President will not have attended the event if he had a Christian as Vice President.

On the ongoing coalition plan against Tinubu in 2027, Lawal revealed that the politicians pushing for a strong opposition coalition had considered Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a no-go area.

He said the coalition’s technical committee was examining whether the alliance should register a new party or adopt and upgrade an existing one.

The former SGF also said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was a committed and active member of the group championing the coalition campaign to wrest power from Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

According to him, the coalition is mostly driven by politicians, who agreed to form an alliance against the ruling party.

On why the meetings and conversations about the coalition spearheaded by Atiku had not featured the PDP, Babachir said the PDP had an incurable virus.

He said: “In all the meetings I’ve attended so far, nobody has ever bothered about adopting the PDP as the platform.

“We all agree that PDP has an incurable virus. No anti-biotics can cure what is ailing the PDP and we don’t want to go into a house that we cannot modify that is not willing to change.”

He disclosed that the politicians behind the coalition opposition would soon announce their new platform to assuage the anxiety of Nigerians who are worried about the coalition’s political party.

Recall that the PDP has been hit with a leadership crisis since it lost the 2023 presidential election.

Efforts to resolve the crisis have proved abortive as party leaders are divided over the national secretary position involving Sunday Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu.

Replying Babachir Lawal last night, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, rejected his comments, dismissing his critique of the party as misguided, politically bitter, and irrelevant.

The party asserted that it neither sought nor required Lawal’s validation to shape its future or Nigeria’s political direction.

A rebuttal signed by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Yusuf Dingyadi, on behalf of the acting National Chairman, Amb Umar Damagum, said: “While Mr. Lawal is entitled to his personal opinions, we wish to make it categorically clear that the PDP does not seek, nor is it begging for his support or validation in shaping the future of our party or the political direction of this country.”

The party emphasised its status as Nigeria’s most experienced, nationally rooted and enduring political party, capable of weathering storms and rescuing the country from the failings of the current administration.

It also questioned Lawal’s political relevance, noting that his tenure in public office was remembered more for controversies than for impactful contributions.

“The same cannot be said of Mr. Babachir Lawal, whose tenure in public office is remembered more for controversies than for impact. Rather than being an asset, his political antecedents portray him more as a liability to any serious political project,” PDP stated.

It reiterated its focus on rebuilding, reuniting, and repositioning itself for victory in 2027, stressing its openness to constructive alliances, based on shared values and institutional integrity.

The party dismissed Lawal’s comments as a desperate attempt to remain relevant in national discourse and urged its members, supporters and the general public to ignore him.

“Let it be known that the PDP is focused on rebuilding, reuniting, and repositioning itself for victory in 2027. We remain open to constructive alliances, based on shared values and institutional integrity, not ego-driven coalitions steered by individuals with questionable commitment to democratic ideals,” the PDP said.

The party reaffirmed its commitment to restoring hope, rebuilding the nation, and reclaiming leadership for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“We urge our members, supporters, and the general public to ignore Mr. Lawal’s baseless comments. The PDP is not deterred. We are moving forward with a renewed vision to restore hope, rebuild our nation, and reclaim leadership for the benefit of all Nigerians,” it stated.