By Precious Ireooluwa
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has alleged that a serving governor offered ₦50 million to prevent him from accessing the Presidential Villa to see the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
Lawal said he retained direct access to Buhari even after leaving office, sometimes through the president’s family members and close aides.
He stated that President Buhari personally directed that his access tag be restored after noticing that his movement within the Villa had been restricted.
Lawal claimed that some political actors were uncomfortable with his continued access to the former president. According to him, one governor allegedly committed ₦50 million to efforts aimed at barring him from meeting Buhari.
He described the move as part of broader political maneuvers to sideline him from the corridors of power.
Despite the reported interference, Lawal said he maintained regular communication with the late president, including through scheduled phone calls.
“Politics behind the scenes is never as clean as it looks,” he said.
