Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has suggested that President Bola Tinubu may be reluctant to give Vice-President Kashim Shettima greater responsibilities because of the experience of former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo under the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
Lawal made the remarks during a recent interview with Symfoni TV, monitored by ChroniclesReporters, while discussing the possible reasons Tinubu might be cautious about allowing Shettima to exercise significant presidential authority.
According to Lawal, Osinbajo initially assumed office as a loyal deputy who was prepared to serve Buhari but gradually became more assertive and allegedly began positioning himself for the presidency.
He argued that Shettima had displayed similar ambition even before becoming vice-president, suggesting that his political posture could make Tinubu wary of entrusting him with substantial responsibilities.
“When Osinbajo came into government, he came as a novice and like an innocent man ready to serve the boss,” Lawal said.
“But eventually the power got to him and he grew bolder and started coveting the position himself.”
Lawal then contrasted Osinbajo’s conduct with what he described as Shettima’s ambition before the 2023 general election.
“This one, even before he came in, he coveted the boss,” Lawal said.
When asked to clarify whether he was referring to Shettima, he responded in the affirmative.
Lawal further alleged that Shettima had made statements during the presidential campaign suggesting that he would take charge of the economy while Tinubu focused on other responsibilities.
“Even in his campaign, he will go about and say, ‘I will handle the economy,’ while the president [would be] allocating himself,” Lawal said.
He argued that a vice-president’s authority largely depends on the responsibilities delegated by the president, adding that Shettima’s alleged ambition could create complications in their working relationship.
“He’s ambitious. It’s clear that he’s ambitious, and who knows what will happen if he acts,” Lawal said.
The former SGF cited Osinbajo’s experience as acting president during Buhari’s medical trips as an example of how disagreements between a president and his deputy could develop into a source of tension.
Lawal alleged that while Buhari was away receiving medical treatment, Osinbajo reversed some appointments the former president had approved and replaced the affected individuals with his own choices.
“There are many instances,” Lawal said. “Buhari had approved to me some appointments, and when he left, he went to hospital, Osinbajo reversed it and brought his other appointees, mostly, of course, from his church.”
Lawal did not provide further details in the interview excerpt about the specific appointments he was referring to.
He claimed that Buhari was subsequently informed about the alleged reversals and wanted the decisions overturned but eventually decided against pursuing the matter to avoid embarrassing Osinbajo.
According to Lawal, the incident demonstrated the potential difficulties a president could face when a deputy exercises authority in ways that conflict with the president’s preferences.
Asked whether Osinbajo’s actions could explain why Buhari did not fully support him as his preferred successor, Lawal suggested that the former president’s concerns went beyond disagreements over policy and administration.
“If Buhari was sick and this man was sacking his employees, he was doing things Buhari was not inclined to do, how can you say continue with this programme?” Lawal said.
Lawal’s comments offer his interpretation of the political dynamics between Tinubu and Shettima, drawing a comparison with the relationship between Buhari and Osinbajo during their time in office.
However, his assertions about Tinubu’s concerns, Shettima’s alleged presidential ambition and the circumstances surrounding Osinbajo’s appointments were presented as Lawal’s claims and were not independently established in the interview excerpt.