Post by NewsRealm (@newsrealm2025)
Suddenly, Tinubu Came to Abuja, and All He Sees is Yoruba. What Happened to the Rest of Us?- Babachir Lawal
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s approach to appointments and infrastructure development, alleging that the administration has placed too much emphasis on Lagos and the Yoruba ethnic group.
Lawal made the remarks during an interview with SYMFONI on Saturday, July 25, 2026.
The former SGF said his expectations of Tinubu had been shaped by the president’s time as governor of Lagos State.
According to him, Tinubu had worked with people from different parts of the country, including an official from Osun State and at least one Hausa member of his cabinet.
"If you look at Tinubu's trajectory, if you see when he was a Governor, Aregbesola was Commissioner of Works from Osun State. I think there was an Hausa man in his cabinet," he said.
Lawal said that experience had led him to believe that Tinubu would bring the same level of inclusiveness to the federal government if elected president.
He, however, expressed disappointment with Tinubu's governing style at the federal level, alleging that many important government positions had gone to people with close ties to Lagos and the wider South-West.
Lawal lamented, "Suddenly, Tinubu came to Abuja, and all he sees is Yoruba. Even within the Yoruba ethnic group, all he sees is Lagos. And even in Lagos, it is the people he worked with before. So, what happened to the rest of us? When it comes to infrastructure, all he sees is Lagos. Everything is Lagos.”
He also criticised the distribution of infrastructure projects, claiming that Lagos had received greater attention while other parts of the country had not benefited equally from federal development efforts.
Lawal’s comments come amid concerns over the distribution of political appointments under the Tinubu administration.
In April 2025, Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, also criticised what he described as an imbalance in federal appointments.
He argued that the pattern appeared to favour Yoruba nominees and did not adequately reflect the constitutional principle of federal character.
Ndume later adopted a more positive tone after several northerners were appointed to leadership positions in important federal agencies.
In May 2025, he commended the president for the appointments, saying they could help rebuild confidence among northern stakeholders.
Lawal’s latest comments have renewed discussions about fairness in the sharing of political positions and development projects, as questions persist over whether the administration is adequately reflecting Nigeria’s diverse regions and interests.
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