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By Oscar Okhifo
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, sparked controversy on Tuesday after he lashed out at a television presenter during a live interview on TVC News.
The incident occurred during the station’s flagship programme, Beyond the Headlines hosted by Nifemi Oguntoye. Lawal was invited to discuss Nigeria’s political landscape and the conduct of elections under different administrations.
Trouble started when the anchor remarked that the electoral processes under the Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu administrations showed little or no difference. The comment appeared to have infuriated Lawal, who immediately cut in, raising his voice in protest.
“Give me a break, my friend! Shut up! Shut up! Get out! Give me a break!” Lawal exclaimed on air. “How can you say the Buhari government’s electoral process is the same as Bola Tinubu’s? The Tinubu government didn’t win the election.”
Despite the tension, the host remained composed and attempted to steer the conversation back to civility.
“I’ll take ‘get out’ because I’ve invited you to the house, but I’m just trying to have an intellectual conversation with you, Mr. Lawal,” Oguntoye calmly replied.
The exchange, which quickly went viral on social media, drew reactions from viewers and political commentators. Many criticised Lawal for what they called unprofessional conduct, while others defended his emotional response.
Veteran journalist and Arise TV anchor, Dr. Reuben Abati, weighed in on the matter during his own programme, The Morning Show warning that such behavior would not be tolerated on his platform.
“Let Babachir Lawal come here and try it,” Abati said. “The kind of flogging that he will receive, verbal flogging, I don’t think he will forget it in a hurry.”
The incident has reignited conversations around political discourse, civility in media engagements, and the growing tension surrounding Nigeria’s recent elections.