Former Senate President Ahmed Lawan, on Monday, received a great shock of his life as he was reportedly snubbed by former First Lady and wife of late President Muhammadu Buhari, Hajia Aisha Buhari, at a book launch in Abuja.
The event was a commemorative tribute book to mark the first memorial anniversary of the late former president.
An informed source at the well-attended event disclosed: “As expected, on arrival at any event of such magnitude, invited guests would always want to exchange pleasantries with the host(s) of events.
“But the former Senate President met the shock of his life, as his attempt to exchange pleasantries with the former First Lady, was rebuffed with her keeping a straight face without attempting to recognise Lawan’s overture to her on the front row of the dignitaries.”
The source, who pleaded anonymity, further said “as a result of the very embarrassing development, Lawan quickly rushed to his seat at the back row.
How Ex-First Lady Snubbed Lawan
“The unfortunate development left tongues wagging as to what would have caused the snubbing of Lawan by the former First Lady.”
The source further disclosed that an attempt by the defeated former presidential aspirant to have a picture opp with the former First Lady was summarily rejected by her, to the consternation of other guests at the event.
Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Babagana Zulum of Lagos and Borno states, respectively, who were at the event were said to have been shell-shocked by the development.
Recall that in the countdown to the 2022 presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), some entrenched interest within the corridors of power, rallied behind Senator Lawan, purportedly as the party’s candidate for the 2023 elections.
Prominent among his backers who then worked against the presidential ambition of the then aspirant, President Bola Tinubu, was the incumbent Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State.
However, it was also learnt that former First Lady Aisha Buhari was vehemently opposed to the purported endorsement of Lawan by what was described as the Villa Cabal against Tinubu.
The source disclosed that her stance informed why she publicly displayed her support for Tinubu during the APC presidential primary at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
The former First Lady, it was further gathered from competent sources at the commemorative ceremony, was yet to forgive Lawan, and several others for their roles in the Buhari administration.
Among them were a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, Maman Daura, and other numerous players in her late husband’s administration, whom she was said to have believed were responsible for the downward dive of the Buhari administration.
