… He Won 2023 Presidential Election Not Tinubu, Babachir Lawal Claims
By Yinka Giwa
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has issued a scathing condemnation of what he described as “blatant double standards” in the handling of two recent aviation-related incidents in Nigeria. Obi contrasted the humiliating and harsh treatment given to Comfort Emmanson, an unruly passenger on an Ibom Air flight, with the relatively lenient handling of popular Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, also known as Kwam 1, who was involved in a confrontation with ValueJet staff and aviation security personnel at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on August 5.
Obi noted that while Emmanson was publicly stripped, hastily charged in court, and remanded in custody, Kwam 1, who allegedly blocked an aircraft from taxiing and poured the contents of a flask on airline officials, remains free. Aviation authorities have placed him on a six-month no-fly list and petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police for an investigation, but several public figures and state officials have publicly called for him to be forgiven.
According to reports from aviation regulators, the ValueJet incident began when Kwam 1 attempted to board with a flask officials suspected to contain alcohol. After refusing to hand it over, he allegedly splashed its contents on the officials, including the female pilot and blocked the plane’s movement, prompting comparisons to a “hostage situation” from the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, SAN. The musician however later apologised publicly, claiming the flask contained water to manage a health condition, and pleaded for forgiveness from the President, the Ministry of Aviation, and Nigerians.
Obi, in a post on X, said the contrast between both cases exposes deep flaws in Nigeria’s justice system, which he accused of favouring the influential while being quick to punish the powerless. “Stripping her publicly was not only unnecessary but also represents the height of rascality and abuse by our agencies,” he said, referring to Emmanson. “It is unacceptable that she was hurriedly taken to court and remanded, while someone who visibly held a plane from taking off and put hundreds of lives at risk is still at large, with government agencies and some state officials speaking up for him to be forgiven.”
He argued that the selective application of the law erodes public trust in the justice system and called on the Minister of Aviation and relevant agencies to explain the disparity. “Justice must be just, or it is nothing at all,” Obi said. “The rule of law based on justice for all must remain the guidepost of our democracy.”
…OBI WON 2023 POLL, NOT TINUBU — BABACHIR LAWAL
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has claimed that Labour Party (LP) candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and not President Bola Tinubu, was the rightful winner of the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the former All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain—now a leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—said his conclusion was based on field data gathered during the polls.
“Peter Obi won that election; that was according to the true results. We had the data. We had politicians on the field. We had agents on the field. We collected our data. We know our results. We know the result of our campaigns on the field. We can see clearly the point at which they were altered,” Lawal said.
He, however, noted that political dynamics have shifted since 2023 and could affect Obi’s chances in 2027. “They say a day in politics is long. Things have changed… the parameters that were used to evaluate our candidate in 2023… are going to be different from this one. Things have moved on. So, we’ll see when we get there,” he added.
On the 2027 presidential race, Lawal insisted that power should go to a leader who can deliver justice and a sense of belonging to all Nigerians, while making clear that northern political elites would rally behind a candidate who prioritises their region’s interests—preferably from the ADC.
He predicted that the hardship caused by the Tinubu administration’s policies would pave the way for the opposition coalition to win in 2027. “The solution to the problems can only be possible if you have the instruments of power and coercion… If you don’t control the military, there’s no way you can force them into doing the right thing with the insurgency and the bandits,” Lawal argued.
The former SGF revealed that a political bloc, the Nigerian People’s Consultative Political Forum (North), has been formed to unite northern politicians outside government. According to him, the group has resolved to vote en bloc for a candidate who understands and can address the region’s problems.
Reflecting on his removal from office under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Lawal claimed he was targeted because of his closeness to the president. On his relationship with President Tinubu, he was blunt: “The problem with Bola Tinubu is that he thinks I’m the one that offended him; I did not offend him, he offended me and he is full of himself.”
Lawal, who ruled himself out of ever contesting an election, quipped: “Nobody will vote for me because my wife will not vote for me… I’m not electable. I’ve never offered myself for election.”