Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has dismissed attempts by some politicians to seek the backing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing their efforts as a waste of time.
According to him, allies of President Bola Tinubu and ex-members of the now-defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) engaging in such moves are “chasing shadows.”
In an interview with The PUNCH, Lawal emphasized that true CPC loyalists, particularly those who remain committed to the welfare of the underprivileged—referred to as the Talakawa—are prepared to oppose any administration that inflicts hardship on Nigerians, including Tinubu’s government.
“These people have given us every reason to stand against them,” Lawal stated.
“CPC was built around the needs of the lower class. That ideology, which we adopted from Buhari, prioritizes the poor and marginalized. Sadly, this government seems intent on making life unbearable for the common man. It’s almost as if poverty irritates them.”
Lawal added that genuine members of the CPC are naturally compelled to resist any system that fosters suffering and exclusion.
“This is not what Buhari taught us. True followers of the CPC legacy will not sit idle while the masses are being impoverished.”
When asked if Buhari had endorsed the current political coalition challenging Tinubu, Lawal refuted the idea.
He said the coalition merely informed Buhari of its plans as a matter of courtesy and not out of necessity.
“We’re grown men,” he said. “We don’t need Buhari’s approval. Even if he offered to join us, we would respectfully decline. He is part of the current establishment. Let him stay there until he decides otherwise.”
Lawal, a founding member of the CPC and once an ally of Tinubu, is now involved in a broad political coalition that includes figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Nasir El-Rufai.
He confirmed that the alliance and planned party merger were already in motion.
He also criticized former CPC figures such as ex-Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura and former Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu, describing them as “black sheep” who strayed from the party’s core values.
Shittu had earlier dismissed the CPC as a “dead horse” during an appearance on Channels Television, adding that Lawal and others were merely stirring trouble out of self-interest.
“The CPC is long gone,” Shittu had said. “We merged it with other parties to form the APC. Those still clinging to the CPC label are doing so for selfish reasons.”
Responding, Lawal accused Shittu of betraying CPC principles, claiming that some joined the movement for personal gain. “Not everyone can handle adversity,” he said.
“Some came to CPC looking for opportunities, not out of conviction. Such people can’t endure the current hardships. And with Tinubu’s government still dishing out appointments, they’re free to chase those benefits.”
Attempts by PUNCH to contact Malami and Al-Makura for their responses were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
