You Cannot Speak For North, Sen Girei Replies Ex-SGF, Babachir

Senator Abubakar Girei has taken a swipe at former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal saying that he should rather speak for himself as he has no authority whatsoever to speak on behalf of the North.

Girei in a conversation with LEADERSHIP in response to a statement credited to Babachir in which he said the North will not support the President Bola Tinubu’s return bid, noted that the North will rally behind the president and ensure he gets a landslide victory.

The former SGF had posited that unless President Tinubu appeases the North, the North may not vote him come 2027.

But Girei described Lawal as a political featherweight, stressing that “having lost all iota of relevance, the former SGF has become a rabble rouser, and an unapologetic bigot who has taken a new vocation as a social media gadfly”.

Girei also said that unlike the former President Muhammadu Buhari, who gave political lightweights superior political appointments only to stab him and his people in the back, Tinubu who is an astute administrator could not touch Babachir with a 100 mile pole.

He added that Tinubu’s victory come 2027 is a settled issue as the North will rally behind him adding that the president’s victory will be total and comprehensive.

He averred that Tinubu has over two years to consolidate what he started, urging Lawal to, in the interest of peace and progress, allow the president concentrate on his job of cleaning the augean stable.

“I wish to tell my brother that the campaign period was over a long time. We are in another phase of governance. Tinubu has won the 2023 presidential election. So let him serve his mandate and stop causing distraction.

“Instead of making such statements, I implore Mr. Babarchir to start preparing for campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election where he and his political party can contest against the president. But one thing I want to say here is that he should rather speak for himself and not the North as the region has a substantive platform to articulate its viewpoints,” he said.

Girei added that Tinubu was elected to serve a four year term after which he can seek reelection, adding that the president is yet to reach the two year mark.

He noted that two years in a democratic setting is a long time for the president to consolidate his programs after which Nigerians can make their decisions.

“In democracy, two years is a long time to consolidate on the gains so far made. It is glaring that against all odds, the president has degraded insecurity with the active support of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to a significant level. The petroleum sector is stabilizing and the naira is gaining momentum having gained considerable traction in recent times.

“In addition, food inflation is drastically going down. As a result of the decimation of insecurity, farmers are going back to their farms and the government is working round the clock to subsidize cost of farm implements and materials.

“Students loan and other social safety nets have started gaining ground. While I understand my brother’s frustrations, I want to also advise that let us wait for the campaign period by which time the success of the administration would become glaring,” he added.