In a recent interview on Channels TV, Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), shared a personal political anecdote involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.
Lawal stated, “BAT asked me, ‘What is wrong with Rauf Aregbesola?’ and I replied, ‘He has a fever.’” He used the statement as a recollection of a past interaction, describing it as part of the informal exchanges he had within Nigeria’s political leadership circle.
According to Lawal, the comment was made during a period of political tension within the ruling party, involving Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rauf Aregbesola, when internal disagreements and shifting alliances were becoming more visible. He suggested that such exchanges often reflected underlying political misunderstandings rather than literal interpretations.
Lawal explained that political relationships within party structures can change rapidly, especially among key figures who once worked closely together. He noted that informal conversations among top political actors sometimes reveal the personal dynamics behind public political disputes.
He further maintained that his recollection was intended to show how political leaders often engage in private discussions that contrast with their public positions, particularly during periods of internal party strain.
Lawal, who previously served as SGF under former President Muhammadu Buhari and held a senior leadership position in the APC, insisted that such anecdotes highlight the human and informal side of political leadership, where personal relationships and political disagreements frequently intersect.