The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, says convincing President Muhammadu Buhari on issues of national importance could oftentimes amount to a herculean task, especially when the issues under consideration border on the plight of the masses.
Buhari took an eternity to deregulate the petroleum downstream sector and stridently said he wasn’t going to devalue the national currency, amid an economy hit by dwindling oil revenues. Eventually, he yielded ground to market forces in both instances.
The SGF who is currently in his home state of Adamawa, told reporters on Saturday that it was difficult convincing the president to yield to the downstream sector deregulation with its attendant hike in petrol pump price, for instance.
“It was a very difficult task convincing the president on this. The president is always on the side of the masses,” he said.
“The president is not easily convinced when additional hardship is placed on the people.”
Lawal has been accused of corrupt practices in the Buhari administration. He swatted away those allegations in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
“The whole thing is funny; they are even saying that I favour my own tribe of Kilba in federal appointments because Boss Mustafa was recently appointed the managing director of Nigeria Inland Waterways Agency,” he said.
“People need to know that Mustafa is not only well qualified for the job but also a chieftain of the party who actively participated as an official in the Buhari Campaign Organisation.
“Buhari knows Mustafa’s capacity and Buhari’s appointments are always based on merit.
“If they said I engineered the appointment of Mustafa because he is a Kilba man like me, how about other appointments of Adamawa indigenes that are not Kilba.
“Another funny thing is that in Abuja, some people are accusing me of favoring Adamawa.”
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