A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, on Thursday, advanced reasons why the northern Christians backed Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for the 2023 election.
He said the northern Christians had considered the need for peace in the country and that an Obi/Datti Baba-Ahmed-led administration will ensure Nigeria get her desired peace.
According to him, Obi has more chance of winning the election than the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, and others.
Lawal, who is an APC chieftain, revealed this while speaking at an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“We are politicians and realists. We want to support a political party that has the potential to win and rule; then address all the other dynamics in society, like marginalisation, insecurity, and inclusiveness.
“So, if you look at it, there are only four political parties that are worth our discussion, and we discussed them. Kwankwaso is a good material for the president, for example. We discussed with him, but we look at his tendency and chances of winning the election based on our parameters, it is very small.
“We looked at Labour Party and we think the chances are very big. A government run by Peter Obi and Datti will give Nigeria the desired peace. In fact, it will wean us from this oligarch.
“We don’t need commitment (Peter Obi). The issue is very simple; if you go to every single Christian village in Nigeria, they will tell you, there might be no other candidate for the other political parties, they’ll tell you we are doing (sic) Peter Obi. If you go to church, everybody is doing (sic) Peter Obi.
“There are still some Christians who are hanging around the APC, of course; whatever their reason, we don’t begrudge them. Some are in the PDP. Average Christian rank and file in the north, they are Labour Party.”
He added, “My thinking is that Bola (Tinubu) will not get 25% in Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Yobe, maybe Borno 25%, maybe. No Hausa-Fulani state, it goes nowhere. Now he has antagonised the Christians, so he loses. He will get the South-West because of affinity and ‘it’s our turn’ syndrome. Atiku will clear most of the northern states.”
