Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal has claimed that his visit to the residence of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has nothing to do with politics.
Babachir said he and former speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara only paid a ‘brotherly visit’ to the governor.
The New Diplomat had reported that Babachir and Dogara held a closed-door meeting with Wike at his private residence in Rumueprikom, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The visit has since been generating barrage of reactions and opinions giving the fact that both Babachir and Dogara are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while Wike is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking amid the speculations, Babachir in an interview said they (including Dogara) were free to visit anybody, adding that those with any wrong impression about the visit should know that he worked with the governors while he served as the SGF.
“We are free to visit anyone in the country. Those insinuating anything should know that I was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and I worked with all the governors.
“So, we are free to visit anyone. Everything is not political and those insinuating anything outside this are free to continue,” Babachir stressed.
While Babachir downplayed the essence of the visit, The New Diplomat reports that the visit comes at a time the former SGF and Dogara had openly objected the decision of the APC to run with a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2023 general elections.
The duo since the announcement of former governor of Borno state Kashim Shettima, as the running mate to the APC’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, have condemned the move as being insensitive to the need for a religious balance in a country with Christian population as overwhelming as the Muslim population.
On the other hand, the visit came barely 24 hours after Wike broke his silence since losing the presidential primary election of the PDP where former Vice President, Atiku Abubarkar, emerged as the party’s candidate.
Wike, who is said to be aggrieved about the outcome of the primary election and as well the nomination of the Vice presidential candidate has been receiving prominent politicians across party lines.
Wike had turned his private residence into a Mecca of sorts.
The New Diplomat reports that Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state (APC); presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State (APC); Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State (APC); former Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose (PDP); former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe(APC) among others have all visited Wike at different times.
