I have never lost any election, Tinubu fires back at Babachir Lawal

The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said he had never lost any election since he joined partisan politics.

The APC candidate was reacting to a remark by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, on APC’s Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket.

Lawal recently downplayed Asiwaju Tinubu’s chances of winning the 2023 presidential election.

The ex-SGF said the former Lagos State governor cannot win the 2023 presidential election with same faith ticket.

He claimed that the APC flag bearer disregarded northern Nigerian Christians by opting for a Muslim running mate.

But Asiwaju Tinubu described the former SGF’s comments as mere conjectures.

Speaking through the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, Asiwaju Tinubu said he would win the presidential election with the support of APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Mere conjectures, very laughable projections. Asiwaju has never been on the ballot and lost any election.

“With 22 states under APC control, with the incumbent President’s backing, Asíwájú is heading for a landslide victory.

“Let Babachir Lawal deal first with the division in his renegade group, instead of pontificating on the outcome of the election.

“This man, who is amplifying our religious difference with his gang, is from Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State. He could not make Buhari win the council in the 2019 election, even though we had a Christian with the Buhari ticket,” he said.

Also, Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Fsshola (SAN) has advised APC officials and members to focus more on wooing the electorate to vote for the party’s flag bearers at next year’s general election than engage in tirades with the party’s opponents.

Fashola spoke yesterday in Abuja while inaugurating the Directorate of Contact and Mobilisation Directorate of Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council (APC-GICC).

The minister, who heads the directorate, was represented by the Minister of Environment, who is also the Assistant Director of the Directorate, Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi.

“We should focus on the real, individual voters, especially at the grassroots, to know the legacies of Asiwaju Tinubu when he was the governor of Lagos and Shettima also when he was the governor of Borno State, despite numerous challenges they encountered.

“I call on members of this committee to work tirelessly at the grassroots and tell the electorate that Nigeria will continue to experience growth and development, if they vote for Tinubu/Shettima and all APC candidates.”

A former National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and now a chieftain of APC, Senator Barnabas Gemade, said: “Every election is local and not for urban dwellers. I charge all members of this great party to work harder by campaigning for votes in grassroots.”