Former presidential spokesman Laolu Akande has challenged claims that the late President Muhammadu Buhari opposed Yemi Osinbajo’s 2022 presidential ambition, insisting that Buhari repeatedly offered to support the former vice-president.
Akande’s position contradicts remarks by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who argued that Buhari would have considered Osinbajo’s decision to challenge Bola Tinubu for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket disloyal and inappropriate.
Lawal’s argument was based on Tinubu’s role in Osinbajo’s emergence as vice-president in 2015 and Buhari’s reputation for placing a high premium on loyalty.
However, Akande, who served as Osinbajo’s spokesperson throughout the eight years of the Buhari administration, said his direct involvement in the government gave him firsthand knowledge of the relationship between the two former leaders.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Akande said Buhari had personally offered to support Osinbajo’s presidential ambition on at least four occasions.
“On at least four separate occasions, President Buhari personally offered to support the Vice President, telling him plainly: ‘If I don’t support you, who will I support?’” he said.
Akande also recalled that Buhari publicly commended Osinbajo’s campaign during a Federal Executive Council meeting in 2022, while the APC presidential primaries were approaching.
According to him, Buhari praised the former vice-president for conducting a dignified, issue-based campaign across the country.
Akande argued that the alleged expressions of support contradicted Lawal’s suggestion that Buhari considered Osinbajo’s ambition immoral or distasteful.
“That is not a President who found Osinbajo’s ambition distasteful. That is a President who broached it, encouraged and applauded it,” he said.
The former spokesman also rejected Lawal’s allegations concerning the composition of staff appointed to Osinbajo’s office during the administration.
Lawal had claimed that Buhari raised concerns about the ethnic composition of a list of proposed aides submitted by Osinbajo. He also alleged that a memo containing the names had been delayed before reaching the former president.
Akande denied that such a memo existed, describing the account as fabricated. He maintained that Osinbajo submitted memoranda directly to Buhari for approval, after which the approved documents were passed through the appropriate channels.
He further dismissed allegations that ethnic or religious considerations influenced Osinbajo’s appointments, insisting that the former vice-president’s office had staff from different parts of the country and religious backgrounds.
Akande said Osinbajo served Buhari loyally throughout their eight years in government and urged the public to assess the allegations against the records of the administration.
Osinbajo served as vice-president from 2015 to 2023 and contested the APC presidential primary in June 2022. Tinubu won the party’s ticket and went on to win the 2023 presidential election.
The disagreement between Akande and Lawal centres on Buhari’s private position towards Osinbajo’s ambition, with Akande citing his personal experience in government to challenge Lawal’s interpretation of the former president’s attitude.
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