Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has made fresh claims about President Bola Tinubu’s financial contributions to the All Progressives Congress campaign ahead of the 2015 general election.Lawal alleged that Tinubu personally financed campaign activities linked to former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and also spent more than N2 billion to engage political consultants from the United States.
Lawal details Tinubu’s alleged role in 2015 APC campaign
The former SGF made the claims during an interview with Symfoni TV released on Saturday, while discussing Tinubu’s role in the campaign that helped bring the late Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015.According to Lawal, Tinubu was instrumental in mobilising funds for the APC presidential campaign. He further alleged that Tinubu separately financed Osinbajo’s campaign activities because the vice-presidential campaign operated partly outside the main Buhari campaign structure.Lawal claimed that the arrangement was influenced by the need to appeal to different sections of the electorate, particularly Christian voters and communities that had reservations about Buhari’s candidacy.
‘Obama people’ allegedly hired to strengthen campaign
Lawal also alleged that Tinubu brought in political consultants from the United States to improve the APC’s campaign strategy.Although he said he could not recall the consultants’ names, Lawal described them as people associated with former US President Barack Obama.He claimed that the consultants carried out professional campaign work and that the amount allegedly paid for their services exceeded N2 billion in naira equivalent.
Lawal says Tinubu paid major expenses personally
The former SGF further claimed that Tinubu often personally covered significant campaign expenses instead of relying on the central campaign purse.Lawal said he was speaking from his experience as someone who was involved in the campaign and had direct knowledge of the alleged financial arrangements.The claims, however, remain allegations made by Lawal during the interview, and no independent evidence or response from Tinubu was included in the report.
Conclusion
Babachir Lawal’s allegations have drawn attention to the financial structure of the APC’s 2015 campaign and Tinubu’s alleged role in funding both the wider presidential campaign and Osinbajo’s activities. The claims are likely to generate further discussion about the financing of one of Nigeria’s most significant political campaigns.
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