Our correspondent
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has stated that the northern Christians are in support of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Lawal, who was speaking at an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, which was monitored by our correspondent, said Obi had more chances of winning the election than the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.
Asked why he chose to endorse the LP presidential candidate, the APC chieftain said a government by the duo of Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed would give Nigeria its desired peace.
“We are politicians and realists. We want to support a political party that has the potential to win and rule; then address all the other dynamics in society, like marginalisation, insecurity, and inclusiveness.
“So, if you look at it, there are only four political parties that are worth our discussion, and we discussed with them. Kwankwaso is a good material for president, for example. We discussed with him, but we look at his tendency and chances of winning the election based on our parameters, it is very small.
“We looked at Labour Party and we think the chances are very big. A government run by Peter Obi and Datti will give Nigeria the desired peace. In fact, it will wean us from this oligarch.
“We don’t need commitment (from Peter Obi). The issue is very simple; if you go to every single Christian village in Nigeria, they will tell you, there might be no other candidate for the other political parties, they’ll tell you we are doing (sic) Peter Obi. If you go to church, everybody is doing (sic) Peter Obi.
“There are still some Christians who are hanging around the APC, of course; whatever is their reason, we don’t begrudge them. Some are in the PDP. Average Christian rank and file in the north, they are Labour Party.”
According to Lawal, chances were that the election would go to a run-off, rather than a first ballot win.
He further stated that the APC was not on the ballot, owing primarily to its Muslim-Muslim ticket, which, he said, had antagonised the Christians, adding that ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar would clear northern votes.
“My thinking is that Bola (Tinubu) will not get 25% in Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Yobe, maybe Borno 25%, maybe. No Hausa-Fulani state, it goes nowhere. Now he has antagonised the Christians, so he loses. He will get the South-West because of affinity and ‘it’s our turn’ syndrome. Atiku will clear most of the northern states,” Lawal said.
