Laolu Akande, a former spokesperson to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has rejected allegations that former President Muhammadu Buhari questioned the ethnic composition of Osinbajo’s proposed aides, describing the account by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, as a fabrication.
Akande maintained that Buhari never challenged Osinbajo over the ethnicity or religious affiliations of his appointees during the previous administration, insisting that the appointment process followed established procedures.
He also disputed claims that a list of about 28 nominees was withheld for three months before Buhari reportedly questioned why they were all Yoruba.
Lawal had alleged that Osinbajo submitted a memo containing the names of approximately 28 staff members, which the late Abba Kyari, Buhari’s then Chief of Staff, allegedly kept for about three months.
According to Lawal, he eventually obtained a photocopy of the document and presented it to the former president, who reportedly remarked, “BD, these are all Yorubas.”
However, Akande, who served as Osinbajo’s spokesperson during the Buhari administration, challenged the account in a statement issued on Saturday titled, “A response to Mr Babachir Lawal’s falsehoods against Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.”
“There was no such memo,” Akande said, rejecting the central claim that a single list of appointments had been delayed and subsequently questioned on ethnic grounds.
He explained that Osinbajo had direct access to Buhari and personally presented appointment memos to the president for approval.
“The procedure was simple and verifiable: 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,” Akande said.
He added that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was not involved in approving the appointments, except for the subsequent issuance of appointment letters to the staff concerned.
Akande also disputed Lawal’s claim that the process suffered a three-month delay, noting that he resumed work at the Office of the Vice President in June 2015 alongside several other staff members whose appointments were being questioned.
He explained that Osinbajo submitted different batches of appointment memos at various times as the office was being established and government policies developed.
According to him, the staggered submissions were standard administrative practice rather than evidence of an ethnically motivated appointment process.
The former spokesperson further rejected allegations that Osinbajo favoured members of his church, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in appointing aides, describing the office as inclusive of Nigerians from different religious and regional backgrounds.
He cited Ipaye, a Muslim and lawyer, as the most senior official in the office, while noting that three of Osinbajo’s four special advisers were Muslims. They included 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,” Akande said, adding that the allegations ignored the composition of the vice-president’s staff.
He accused Lawal of pursuing a “curious and worrying vendetta” against Osinbajo, arguing that the claims about religious considerations were contradicted by the staff list.
Lawal made the allegations during an interview. He also claimed that Buhari considered Osinbajo’s 2022 presidential ambition immoral and distasteful because of his relationship with President Bola Tinubu.
Akande disputed that account as well, maintaining that Buhari had repeatedly expressed willingness to support Osinbajo’s presidential ambition.
