Shut Up, Give Me A Break!’ —Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal Slams TVC Journalist Over Buhari-Tinubu Electoral Comparison
‘Shut Up, Give Me A Break!’ —Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal Slams TVC Journalist Over Buhari-Tinubu Electoral Comparison
During the live broadcast, Lawal told the presenter to “shut up” after being asked a question about the credibility of the 2023 elections.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, lashed out at a TVC journalist, Nifemi Oguntoye, during a heated live broadcast on Tuesday for claiming that the country’s democratic system was not better during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration than it is currently under Bola Tinubu.
During the live broadcast, Lawal told the presenter to “shut up” after being asked a question about the credibility of the 2023 elections.
The explosive exchange happened during the #BeyondTheHeadlines programme, when Oguntoye reminded Lawal that the same administration he once served under, led by former President Buhari, conducted both the 2019 and 2023 elections.
“Mr Lawal, it is the same electoral processes in 2019 and 2023,” Oguntoye said. “I mean the same administration you served under. I didn’t see quite much difference between what happened then and now.”
Clearly agitated by the observation, Lawal snapped back, “Give me a break, my friend. Look, shut up. Give me a break. How can you say Buhari government electoral processes are the same with Bola Tinubu’s government’s processes? What is your problem? Give me a break. There is no truth in what you say.”
Stunned but calm, the presenter responded, “I will take ‘get out’ because I invited you to my house (programme), but I am just trying to have an intellectual conversation with you, Mr Lawal.”
Oguntoye, later commenting on the incident via his X (formerly Twitter) page, acknowledged the tense moment but said the overall conversation remained productive.
“Former SGF Babachir Lawal lost his cool on #BeyondTheHeadlines when I reminded him the same 2023 election he’s rubbishing was conducted by the Buhari govt he served in,” he wrote.
“But beyond that moment, we actually had an engaging conversation.”
Former SGF Babachir Lawal lost his cool on #BeyondTheHeadlines when I reminded him the same 2023 election he’s rubbishing was conducted by the Buhari Govt he served in.
But beyond that moment, we actually had an engaging conversation. Watch it here: https://t.co/Ykn1FM8Peu… https://t.co/5xLErSUS8L
— Nifemi Oguntoye🇳🇬 (@nifemioguntoye) July 8, 2025
Lawal has become one of the fiercest critics of President Tinubu’s government, despite being a key ally and campaigner for Tinubu before falling out over the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Lawal has officially resigned his membership in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He announced his decision in a letter dated June 29, 2025, addressed to the Chairman of the APC, Bangshika Ward, Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State.
In the letter, Lawal wrote: “I write to formally notify you of my resignation from the All Progressive Congress.
“In due course, I will make public my current political affiliations where I plan to join other compatriots to work towards making Nigeria a better living place for all its citizens. This resignation takes immediate effect. Please, remain blessed and extend my warm regards to other members of your party.”
Lawal is a member of the emerging political coalition aiming to unseat President Tinubu and oust the ruling APC in the 2027 general elections.
The coalition, led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has recently adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its platform for the upcoming polls
