Osinbajo's Ex-Spokesperson Rejects Babachir Lawal's Ethnicity Claims on Appointments

Laolu Akande, who served as the former spokesperson for ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has vehemently refuted allegations made by Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Lawal had claimed that the late President Muhammadu Buhari raised concerns about the ethnic composition of Osinbajo's proposed aides.

Akande labeled Lawal's assertions as a "complete fabrication," maintaining that no single memo containing over 20 names of aides, allegedly submitted by Osinbajo and delayed by the late Abba Kyari (Buhari's then-Chief of Staff), ever existed. Lawal had previously stated that Osinbajo presented a memo with approximately 28 staff names, which Kyari supposedly withheld for about three months. According to Lawal, Buhari, upon reviewing the list, commented, “BD, these are all Yorubas.”

However, Akande, who was privy to the appointment processes within the Office of the Vice President during the Buhari administration, disputed this account. In a statement released on Saturday, titled “A Response to Mr Babachir Lawal’s Falsehoods Against Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,” Akande asserted, “There was no such memo.” He clarified that Osinbajo enjoyed direct access to President Buhari, personally submitting appointment memos for approval.

Akande explained the established procedure: “Prof. Osinbajo always had direct access to the President. He took his memos directly to the President, obtained approval, and passed the approved memo to (his own Chief of Staff), Mr Ade Ipaye.” He further noted that Ipaye, who was also the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, would then communicate the approved appointments to the relevant government agencies. Akande emphasized that the SGF's involvement was only required later for issuing appointment letters, not for the initial approval process.

Challenging Lawal's timeline, Akande pointed out that he, along with several other staff members whose appointments were reportedly questioned, resumed work in the Office of the Vice President in June 2015. He stated, “Mr Lawal’s timeline also collapses,” adding that no three-month delay occurred in the appointment process. Akande elaborated that Osinbajo submitted various batches of memos for different staff categories as the office was being established and government policies developed, which he described as "standard practice."

He firmly stated that there was never a single, extensive list influenced by religious or ethnic considerations. Akande also dismissed Lawal's claim that Buhari was concerned about Osinbajo appointing individuals based on their affiliation with his church, the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He described the Office of the Vice President as one of the most inclusive in the administration, comprising Nigerians from diverse regions and religious backgrounds.

“The claim that Osinbajo appointed people because they were church members is false and is easily disproved by the staff list itself,” Akande affirmed. He cited Ade Ipaye, a Muslim lawyer, as the most senior official in the office, and mentioned that three out of Osinbajo’s four special advisers were Muslims, including Maryam Uwais (Special Adviser on Social Investment) and Ahmad Zakari (Special Adviser on Infrastructure). “This was a truly national team. It was never a church list,” he stated.

Akande further criticized Lawal's allegations, suggesting, “To suggest a narrow church agenda is not only to ignore the facts, but to pursue a curious and worrying vendetta.” Lawal's claims were initially made during an interview on Symfoni TV’s Naija Unfiltered, where he also alleged that Buhari viewed Osinbajo’s 2022 presidential ambition as immoral and distasteful given his relationship with President Bola Tinubu. Akande equally disputed this, asserting that Buhari had consistently expressed his willingness to support Osinbajo’s presidential aspirations.