‘An insult to Christianity’ – Babachir Lawal knocks Tinubu’s visit to Vatican

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent trip to Rome for the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, dismissing it as a non-event arranged through lobbying, while renewing his objection to the Muslim-Muslim ticket that produced Tinubu’s presidency.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Lawal claimed the visit further deepened the insult against Christians in Nigeria, arguing that the president’s presence at the Vatican reinforced what he called the injustice of denying Christians top leadership in the country.

“Going to see the Pope is not an achievement. It can be arranged by lobbyists, probably with inducement. So, Bola Tinubu visiting the Pope is a non-issue,” Lawal said.

He added that if a Christian had been vice president, the president might not have made the trip himself.

On the ongoing moves to build a coalition against Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections, Lawal declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not being considered as a platform, branding it as a party with an “incurable virus.”

According to him, politicians in the coalition movement are weighing the option of either registering a new political party or adopting and upgrading an existing one.

He disclosed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remains actively involved in the coalition effort.

“In all the meetings I’ve attended so far, nobody has ever bothered about adopting the PDP as a platform. We all agree that PDP has an incurable virus no anti-biotics can cure,” Lawal said.

In a swift response, the PDP dismissed Lawal’s comments as irrelevant and politically motivated.

In a statement issued by its Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Yusuf Dingyadi, on behalf of the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, the party insisted it did not need Lawal’s validation or support.

The PDP described itself as Nigeria’s most experienced and nationally rooted political party, capable of reclaiming leadership in 2027.

It said Lawal’s political history was better known for controversy than for credible leadership.

“The same cannot be said of Mr. Babachir Lawal, whose tenure in public office is remembered more for controversies than for impact.

Rather than being an asset, his antecedents portray him more as a liability to any serious political project,” the PDP fired back.

The party reaffirmed its focus on repositioning itself for 2027 and declared it open to constructive alliances built on shared democratic values, warning its members and the public to disregard Lawal’s remarks.

It also maintained that it remains undeterred in its mission to restore hope and rebuild the nation for all Nigerians.