The group which opposed the endorsement of Obi as their consensus candidate maintained that Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, is only entitled to his opinion but his views do not represent that of the group.
The endorsement of Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate by the leader of the Northern Christians in the All Progressives Congress Babachir Lawal, appears to have divided the group as some prominent members have dissociated themselves from the purported endorsement.
The group which opposed the endorsement of Obi as their consensus candidate maintained that Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, is only entitled to his opinion but his views do not represent that of the group.
SaharaReporters reported that Lawal had while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said that the northern Christians would support Obi.
He said Obi has a better chance of winning the election than the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.
Asked why he chose to endorse the LP presidential candidate, the APC chieftain said a government by the duo of Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed would give Nigeria its desired peace.
“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 with them. Kwankwaso is a good material for 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."
But reacting in a statement jointly signed by the eight members of the group, including a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and a former Kogi Deputy Governor Simon Acbuba, the group said no one, including the chairman, has been mandated to speak to the public about their position.
The statement reads: “We want to draw the attention of the general public to the recent position canvassed by our Chairman, Engr B. D. Lawal as the position of our Group.
“We wish to state that necessary consultations have been concluded, and based on manifestly unassailable empirical data, the group is poised to adopt a position that will be made known to the public at an interfaith event to be held very soon.
“Suffices to say that no one in the group, including the chairman, has been mandated to speak to the public about our position at this material time. Based on our modus operandi, our position was meant to be presented to the general public at the event referred to above. That has not changed.
“Consequently, the decision to endorse a particular candidate and the statement credited to the chairman are solely the decision and views of the Chairman which he is entitled to but not that of the group. We hope this statement clears all the queries most of us have been inundated with on this all-important subject matter.”
Other members of the group who signed the statement are Albert Atiwurcha, Prof Doknan Sheni, Mela A. Nunge (SAN), Gen Ishaya Bauka, Prof Ibrahim Haruna, and Mrs. Leah Olusiyi.