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Tag: Babangida

  • Babangida, Jonathan meet in Minna

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday had a private meeting with former President Ibrahim Babangida at his Uphill home in Minna, Niger State.

    Jonathan, who came to Niger by road, arrived the ex- military ruler’s home at about 10:00 a.m. in an entourage of six black Prado Jeeps.

    A source at Babangida’s home said the meeting which was attended by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2019 gubernatorial aspirant in the state, Alhaji Hanafi Muazu Sudan, was a private one.

    The meeting lasted almost two hours and Jonathan drove out of Babangida’s home at 12: 47 p.m.

     

  • ‘Buhari has shamed Babangida, Obasanjo’

    Dr. Ore Falomo was the physician of the late Chief Moshood Abiola, the symbol of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election. The medical doctor, who is also an in-law of the late politician, relives his experience during the five years Abiola was in solitary confinement. In this interview with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN, he also speaks on the lessons of the election’s annulment.

    How do you feel with the honour done to Abiola by President Buhari’s declaration?

    Ah! I feel elated, I feel justified. I am very happy that at long last truth has been elevated over lies and conspiracy at the highest level against Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. He had triumphed over his enemies live or dead. Being a living witness of the grave injustice meted out to Abiola in the past 25 years, I and other associates of MKO had carried on the struggle for the recognition of June 12 by the powers that be to no avail. Until Buhari said enough of this, we should stop deceiving ourselves; MKO won June 12 presidential elections. With that pronouncement, President Muhammadu Buhari has declared Abiola President posthumously. I don’t know why some people are so wicked about June 12, an election that was adjudged by local and international observers as the freest and fairest election in the history of Nigeria. The election was the most acceptable by Nigerians, compared to others before then and since then. I can’t believe that Buhari would be the one to restore Abiola’s mandate, because they were not friends when Abiola was alive. I cannot estimate my joy over what Buhari did on June 12 presidential election. Thank you Mr President for healing the wounds inflicted on us by the military cabal.

    Are there lessons to learn from Abiola’s travails?

    The lessons are many for those at the helm of affairs. They should know that power is transitory. No position is permanent in life. When you are doing something, don’t do it for what you are going to benefit. You should consider what it will benefit the country, because tomorrow will judge your actions. Those who do things for personal benefits will perish. Twenty five years after, we are still celebrating Abiola, because of his good deeds when he was alive. We are celebrating as if it happened only yesterday. No matter the gang up by the opposition, continue to do good because tomorrow will judge you. Abiola sacrificed his life for democracy we are enjoying today. I am sure another Abiola will emerge. It may not be in our life time.

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    As a close associate of MKO, did he ever had the premonition of what befell him?

    He knew that problem was ahead before entering into presidential race. Abiola told me that before he declared his ambition to contest, he consulted Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to know whether he would relinquish power or not. He said Babangida had sworn on the Holy Quran that if he (Abiola) won he would not deny him his victory. One day, the civil right activist, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, came to my house and said he had a hint that Babangida would not hand-over, if Abiola won. We went to MKO’s house to inform him. We met him watching a football match between Nigeria and Senegal that day. Beko repeated the same information to him. Abiola said Babangida had assured him and swore with Quran. Beko told Abiola not to believe IBB, because he was known to have reneged on many promises. The next statement uttered by Abiola was that if Babangida reneged, it would involve life; meaning that he was ready to sacrifice his life. That was exactly what happened. Babangida annulled the election. Abacha put him in solitary confinement for five years where he died.  The United States Ambassador in Nigeria at that time sent me to Abiola to tell him that he should allow another presidential election to hold, so that he could regain his freedom and participate in the new election. When I conveyed the message to Abiola, he rejected the proposal. Abiola said Nigerian people gave him a four-year mandate and he had not been allowed to rule, why should he go back to them to seek another mandate? That he made promises to the electorates, they voted for him; people didn’t say he should not rule, why should he go and tell them to vote for him again? He sent me back to the US envoy with the message that on June 12 mandate he stood.

    What message do you have for those who worked against Abiola’s mandate?

    Tomorrow has caught up with them. All the lies and scheming to deceive people have turned against them. Buhari has sent two messages: First, that what Olusegun Obasanjo told us in making May 29 Democracy Day was not true. Obasanjo said May 29, 1999 was the first time the military would hand over power to civilians. It was a lie. The first time the military handed-over to civilian was in 1979. It was he (Obasanjo) as military Head of State that handed over power to former President Shehu Shagari that year. Second, that the June 12 election is the watershed of Nigerian democracy. It was the day all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion, voted for a president of their choice. Abiola won in his opponent’s state. Bashir Tofa accepted defeat. It was an historic event. That June 12 is the real Democracy Day in Nigeria.

    Abiola read Bible and Quran four times in detention. He knew the end was coming. I was with him one day when he said ‘had it not been destined, who are these people to put me in chain?’ Some of those who had hands in Abiola’s travails had passed away with ignominy and those still alive, be they judges, prosecutors and schemers are dying gradually in pain. If Obasanjo becomes President of Nigeria 10 times, he will never be a Yoruba candidate. Nigerians have now known their messiah. Buhari has exposed Babangida’s deceit; he can’t come to the Southwest to seek support for anything. The five years of struggle for the restoration of Abiola’s mandate was traumatic for me. Whenever I want to leave my house, I would be thinking that I may not return alive, because of my support for Abiola. All my friends deserted me for safety of their lives, all because of June 12. It was a hilarious day for the Southwest. The Yoruba will never compromise; we have triumphed.

    Some are saying that Buhari should formally declared Abiola President and accord him all the paraphernalia of office posthumously. What do you think?

    He has bestowed the highest honour of the land, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), which is meant for presidents, on him. With that, he has become an ex-president of Nigeria. Buhari also honoured Abiola’s running mate, Babagana Kingibe, with Grand Commander of Nigeria (GCON). Buhari consulted locally and internationally before he took decision on June 12 presidential election. It amazed me that some people are saying that Buhari’s decision on June 12 was for political reasons; that he wanted to use it to catch votes in the Southwest in 2019. When Buhari came to campaign in Southwest in 2015, he never promised that he would assuage the Yoruba feelings on June 12 and the injustice against Abiola. Yet, he won in the Southwest. Now Obasanjo is telling Buhari not to contest in 2019. Who is he to tell Buhari not to contest? Every Nigerians deemed qualified has the right to contest. Presidency is not the birth right of anybody.  The sovereign power lies with the Nigerian people; they are to decide through their votes in 2019. I admire Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I wish to acknowledge that fate has put him in a prime position to determine to a large extent the direction that the Yoruba people will go. He has been the game changer since the advent of democracy in 1999. He saw in Buhari the qualities of an incorruptible leader and supported him after he had failed three times to win presidential election. Buhari acknowledged him and realised that Tinubu was instrumental to his victory in 2015. I pray Tinubu will triumph over his opponents.

    What would have Nigerians benefit from Abiola’s presidency if he had been allowed to rule?

    The corruption that Buhari is fighting today would not have been there. Abiola was totally against corruption in the military. You can see the revelations from Buhari’s anti-corruption war; how military chiefs diverted public funds meant to buy arms and ammunition into private use. Many of them had agreed to return billions of naira to the Federal Government under plea bargaining. Abiola was so rich that he could never be poor in his life. He would not have embezzled public funds and would not have allowed politicians to share money meant for execution of projects as we experienced in the previous administrations. The mantra of his administration was to liberate Nigerians from the shackles of poverty. He promised life more abundant for Nigerians and he would have achieved that if he had been allowed to govern.

    What is your advice for the Abiola family?

    I don’t know if any of his children would go into politics now or in future. All I can advise them now is that they should sustain the good image and name of their father. They may not be endowed with enough resources to do as much as their father did; they should always help the downtrodden. That was what their father was known for.

    Abiola touched many lives; he lifted so many people; he restored hope in many Nigerians. Remember that when Abiola was alive, a lot of people used to line up in front of his residence seeking assistance every day and he would attend to them.

    What about the controversy over his will?

    It would be resolved by those of us who are guiding Abiola’s legacy. We will not give up. He had many things that are enough to share. The children should keep the good name of their patriarch. As a close confidant of Abiola, we will continue to prevail on his siblings to always protect the family name. I had been his in-law, friend and doctor. I had the privilege of assembling a team for his autopsy. It was a big challenge and a big honour. I thank God I was able to do it. At the appropriate time, we will ask Buhari to set up inquiry on what led to Abiola’s death. We will give him all the support; we have documents. We want Buhari to demystify all factors surrounding the death of Abiola and Abacha, so that Nigeria can move forward.

    What about the debt the Federal Government owed Abiola?

    We will take it up with President Buhari later. When the former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, paid condolence visit to Abiola’s family, he promised to pay the debt. He didn’t fulfil the promise. Do you know that Abacha paid part of the debts? As a patriot, Abiola financed Nigerian troops to Liberia and Sierra Leone on peace keeping mission, through provision of food and uniform.

  • I’ve faith in SDP, says Babangida

    •Ex-president drums support for party

    FORMER Military President General Ibrahim Babangida has declared his faith in the Chief Olu Falae-led Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Babangida, who spoke in Minna at the weekend when the party’s national leaders, led by Falae, visited him at his hill-top mansion in Minna, said the party has the zeal to deliver democratic dividends to the people.

    “If I hadn’t being too old, I would have loved to join the youths vanguard of your party. I have faith in the political party, for what it is and what it stands for. When I heard in the news that a party has come on board, the first thing that occurred to me was that the name sound familiar. So, I made a decision that I will wait and see how it plays out. I was looking at how SDP will populate itself. And then the next pleasing thing that I heard was that it has people like Olu Falae, Prof. Jerry Gana and Prof. Tunde Adeniran.

    “After that, I said this party is real, because most of the names are names that I have known and I have worked with and for the sake of this country. So, I said the party is smart to convince all these gentlemen to come and join them. That is why I did not hesitate to give direction to those who come to me to seek advice on which direction to go.”

    Babangida noted that the vision he had for the country was the same vision shared by those driving the party.

    He said: “The security and well-being of Nigerians is very important and you have identified this in your programme. So, Nigerians must rally round you and support you to ensure that this is realisable.”

    Babangida urged the younger generation and women to give their support to SDP as it is “populated by men of integrity, men who when they work, they work well, when they speak, they speak well.”

    He advised the party leadership to make its manifestos public so that they can be held accountable.

    “You must tell Nigerians what you intend to do for them because this is very important. The people must know if they say, ‘if we vote SDP, what do we expect?’ So that, it will become politics of issues and not politics of insult and name-calling.”

    The SDP National Chairman said they were in the state to see Babangida as part of the party’s nationwide consultation to brief him on its activities and to solicit for his support and wise counseling.

    Falae said SDP was a child of necessity, born out of the desire to rescue the country from the present decay in every sphere of lives.

    “When I was approached to accept all the progressives, who have been frustrated from different political parties to come together to form a formidable team to rescue Nigeria, I readily agreed because this country must be rescued from the present state of corruption and impunity.”

    He lamented that the country’s situation is becoming worse and needs to be addressed.

    “Since this present government came on board, the herdsmen seems to think that they now own Nigeria. And it is a lie, there arms must be taken away from them, their minds must be disabused and while doing that, provision must be made for them to be able to do their business legitimately so that the rest of us can also do our farming business as well because both agriculture and animal husbandry are good to the country’s economy.

    “Nigeria as a country is passing through a terrible time. The present government talks about fighting corruption all the time but corruption today is worse than it was in the immediate past.”

    He gave the assurance that when SDP takes over the government in 2019, it will reduce corruption to the nearest minimum.

    “Corruption can be fought if we the leaders genuinely embrace transparency and not what we are seeing today.”

     

     

     

  • Tinubu to Obasanjo, IBB: Join retirees’ club

    Tinubu to Obasanjo, IBB: Join retirees’ club

    The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday advised former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida to join retirees’ club and take pensions.

    The leaders had sent open letters, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of ineptitude and sectionalism.

    But reacting to questions on Obasanjo and IBB’s statements while speaking with selected journalists after meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Tinubu said: “I don’t address those shadows. We should let our former presidents join retirees’ club and take pensions. But they can participate in our politics if they are interested.

    “It is a free world. But this freedom is not served a la carte but they should allow us to move our country forward. It is a challenge to every Nigerian.”

    On the chances of APC in 2019, he added: “You are asking me an obvious question. I belong to this party. My commitment is to this party. We have a better chance and we are strongly determined to prosecute election in a most transparent and democratic manner and we will win.”

    And on his appointment as the head of APC Presidential Reconciliation Committee, the former Lagos State Governor said he felt greatly honoured with the mutual confidence the President has reposed in him.

    “I feel greatly honoured with the mutual confidence that the President has reposed in me which is a very strong political challenge. We have started in earnest.

    “He has given me free hand to put cohesion, confidence and trust in the party. Democracy is about conflict resolution process. You can’t do it without resolving conflicts.

    “We can’t build it without understanding the conflicts and sources where we are coming from. But we want to leave the country with a legacy. It’s not about Mr. President. That is what he’s telling the country.

    “It’s about our country and no other choice to democratic tenets than through political party platforms. He’s one of those rare beings around the country, around Africa who had experienced both worlds. He fought a battle to save Nigeria and came to politics to save Nigeria.

    “Very rare people have such an opportunity in their life time and that’s what we talk about legacy, and where we have all the challenges, do what we should do. I’m enjoying the challenges so far,” he concluded.

     

  • Between Obasanjo and Babangida

    Between Obasanjo and Babangida

    Before the open letters by Nigeria’s former leaders, Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, it had become public knowledge that the Nigerian project was malfunctioning. Perhaps, the interest their letters generated is on account of the weight they added to raging feelings of distrust, despair and frustration.

    That was not the first time the two spoke out in times of great national apprehension and distress. In the hey days of the Boko Haram insurgency when that terror group bombed churches resulting in the killing of thousands of innocent worshippers, they had issued a joint statement in which they deprecated the situation and called attention to the slide in our national affairs and the urgency to halt it.

    They had said even those they regarded as patriots were fast losing faith in the basis for the unity and continued existence of the country. As it turned out, Boko Haram was soon to change tactics. It began to attack mosques and Muslim places of worship. Soon, their activities were degraded with its murderous onslaughts confined to the northeast.

    It became easy for some to argue that since the terror group kills both Christians and Muslims, it cannot be accused of harbouring a religious agenda against Christians even when the group has never hidden is theocratic mission. The successful outcome of the 2015 elections appeared to have restored some hope that the worst had been averted especially given the threats, tension and bitter altercation it generated.

    But, it was a matter of time for the same malfeasance to rear its ugly head again. This time, we are confronted by the same pass through acts of omission and commission by the incumbent president. Not only has the economy refused to improve, the country is more divided and fragmented along ethnic, religious and other primordial lines than ever before in its history. The life of the Nigerian is worth nothing any more as we have virtually been reduced to a killing field. And in the face of these killings, government’s response has at best remained suspect.

    When the two former leaders came up with their observations as to the direction of the ship of this country, they were only confirming, adding further weight and impetus to prevailing views in the country. Though there was initial controversy over the authenticity of the first letter released by Babangida’s Media Adviser Kassim Afegbua, events have since shown that the views expressed in that letter were actually authorized by his boss.

    Curiously however, the police authorities in their indecent haste were quick to accept the rebuttal by those who apparently felt uncomfortable with the contents of the first one. And in that haste to fault the first letter, they wasted no time in declaring Afegbua a wanted man even without a prior invitation. Ironically, the same police made no effort to get clarifications from Babangida but quickly presumed the rebuttal was the right one to accept. Whatever led them to that position remains largely cloudy.

    As events turned out, they were wrong in their presumptions as Babangida in an interview with a national daily, stood by all the contents of the release by Afegbua. The conduct of the police was not entirely surprising. It portrayed it jittery of the contents of the letter especially coming soon after the damning assessment by Obasanjo. For that, everything had to be done to discredit the one that is critical of the government.

    But that only exposed the bias of the police on the matter. It showed how overprotective of the government that institution is. There is virtually nothing in that letter that is not in the vortex of public opinion. There is not much in it that is a sharp departure from the views earlier expressed by Obasanjo. If there were gaps in their letters, the Catholic Bishops filled them in their presentations to Buhari during their visit also last week. The only point the police had was the purported rebuttal which it made no effort to establish the authenticity. In matters of such nature, the police ought to have got to the root of the matter before taking position.

    There was no emergency thrown up by the letter to warrant them reacting the way they did. But that is not the only instance in recent times the police reacted to issues of public interest in a manner that does not depict it as an unbiased institution. The running battle between it and the Benue State government is another ponderous case. Even after the Inspector General of Police IG, Ibrahim Idris had apologized to the people of Benue for his careless remark tagging the killings a result of communal clashes, the state governor, Samuel Ortom has again accused him of bias in handling the continued killings in that state.

    Ortom raised an issue the police must address. He alleged that the police usually arrest livestock guards employed by his government to monitor the implementation of the anti-open grazing law, display sophisticated guns purportedly recovered from them and label them armed ‘Benue militia’ in order to sabotage that law. He then contends, if the so-called Benue militia were that armed, how come Fulani herdsmen serially overpowered them slaughtering their people in their homes without resistance?

    That is the big question and until the police offer cogent response to this, it is difficult not to share in the position of the governor. Again, why is it so easy to arrest the so-called Benue militia with sophisticated guns and not the murderous Fulani herdsmen that regularly slaughter children, women and the aged with an air of invincibility? The most sensible thing expected of the police is to arrest those behind the killings in Benue. Parading the so-called Benue militia is no solution to the killings unless we are being made to believe they are responsible for murdering their own people.

    When Ortom therefore accused the police of seeking to change the narrative of the Benue killings, he is on serious point. It was not surprising that this bias has manifested in the indecorous language deployed by force spokesman in labelling the governor a drowning man.  He was right in a way irrespective of the strong exceptions taken by the House of Representatives on his ranting. After all, is Ortom not drowning in the pool of the blood of innocent and helpless people of his state regularly butchered by herdsmen without any help from the same police authorities?

    Beyond these and the dismal rating of Buhari, the two letters struck a common chord on the imperative for generational shift in leadership. They want leadership to be in the hands of a new set of knowledgeable, well-educated and visionary people in tune with the wider dynamics of the 21st century. Obasanjo wants that through his Coalition for Nigerian Movement. Babangida still has confidence in the two-party system. They want new approaches; new paradigms. You cannot toe the same old path and expect anything different. They are right.

    My reading of their positions is not that they want young people just because of their age alone. They want energetic young people of knowledge, experience and skills.  They are rooting for very exceptional and knowledgeable people and not the recycled leadership that has failed to serve our collective needs. They are looking for what Plato aptly tagged ‘philosopher kings’.

    But they failed to lead us into how such leadership will emerge given the very complicated power equation in this country. They ought to have gone further to factor the role of ethnicity and primordial proclivities in the emergence of such leaders. These are the irreducible decimals that shape and direct the pattern of political recruitment. Babangida came close to it when he talked of systemic and structural re-engineering. State police and ranching for herdsmen as canvassed by Osinbajo are only an infinitesimal symptom of the larger systemic dissonance. The resolution of all these dysfunctions should presage generational shift in leadership for it to endure.

  • Attempts to prosecute Afegbua over ‘Babangida’s statement’ illegal – Falana

    Attempts to prosecute Afegbua over ‘Babangida’s statement’ illegal – Falana

    Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, on Tuesday described as illegal the planned prosecution of ex- President Ibrahim Babangida’s media aide, Kassim Afegbua, over a controversial statement he issued on behalf of the ex-President, accusing the present administration of ineptitude, divisiveness and sectionalism.

    In the statement, the former military ruler also advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.

    However, Babangida has disowned the well publicised statement and views ascribed to him by Afegbua.

    Following the ex-President’s denial, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Monday declared Afegbua wanted for alleged “character defamation.”

    But in a statement issued in Lagos, Falana advised the IGP to withdraw the offensive declaration without further delay.

    The rights activist said Idris has “over reached” himself by declaring Afegbua wanted when he has not failed to honour the police invitation.

    “Undoubtedly it is the Inspector General of police who has defamed Mr. Afegbua by portraying him as a fugitive from the law.  Therefore, Mr. Idris is advised to withdraw the offensive declaration without any further delay,” Falana stated.

    Speaking further on the controversial statement and the denial by Babangida, Falana said no criminal offence has been committed by the journalist to warrant the IGP’s action since the two leaders (Buhari and Babangida) have not complained of character defamation.

    He added: “In fact, if the statement is considered defamatory whoever is injured would have to institute a civil suit where he will be required to put his own reputation in issue. In Arthur Nwankwo v The State (1985) 4 NCLR 228, the Court of Appeal had cautioned public officers in Nigeria to desist from invoking undemocratic laws which were introduced by the erstwhile British colonial regime to harass or intimidate their political opponents. According to Olajide Olatawura JCA (as he then was of blessed memory):

    “The decision of the founding fathers of this present Constitution which guarantees freedom of speech which must include freedom to criticize should be praised and any attempt to derogate from it except as provided in the Constitution must be resisted. Those in public office should not be intolerant of criticism. Where a writer exceeds the bounds there should be a resort to the law of libel where the plaintiff must of necessity put his character and reputation in issue.”

    “Since Gen. Babangida has now turned round to insist that he authorised Mr. Afegbua to issue the controversial statement it is hoped that he will be prepared to say so in a criminal court. His testimony will go a long way to destroy the criminal case which the Inspector-General intends to institute against Mr. Afegbua. However, the IGP should be advised not to popularise the discredited views of both Generals Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida who failed woefully to institutionalised democracy, rule of law, human rights, self -reliance and probity during the 20 years that both of them had ruled the country.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Kudos, knocks for Babangida

    Kudos, knocks for Babangida

    •Police declare aide wanted

    The police yesterday declared Kassim Afegbua, former military president Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s spokesman, wanted.

    This is in connection with the controversy over Sunday’s statements by the former leader on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    Two statements were issued within hours – both credited to Gen. Babangida – on the performance of the Federal Government under Buhari.

    The first, issued on his behalf by Afegbua, quoted Gen. Babangida as asking President Buhari to be prepared to step down on completion of his first term in 2019.

    The second with Babangida’s name, which disowned the first statement, rather cautioned the political class against finding “freedom as an avenue for eroding democracy by antics of hate speeches under the guise of religion”, adding that “this trend of pitching political class and the people against one another is unhealthy and must be discouraged by all and sundry.”

    But Afegbua said he stood by his statement.

    Yesterday, police spokesman Jimoh Moshood told our reporter that Afegbua had been advised to report immediately to the nearest police station.

    He said:  ”The inspector-General of Police has ordered his arrest and the police have declared him wanted for giving false statement, defamation of character and acts capable of inciting public disturbance.

    “He should report to any nearest police position.

    ‘Note that there are three clear charges therein and that the IG has declared him wanted.”

    Senior lawyers yesterday agreed with the views expressed by Given. Babangida that Nigeria needs a new generation of leaders.

    Mr Mike Igbokwe (SAN) and Mr Norrison Quakers (SAN) said the world was moving away from gerontocracy to the “digital generation”.

    Igbokwe, however, said age could also be an advantage, considering that leadership requires experience and maturity, especially in dealing with a complex society like Nigeria.

    To him, it does not really matter the age of whoever becomes president as long as the person provides good leadership.

    “My kind of leader or President is someone who would, through policies, unite this nation; someone who will appreciate our unity in diversity, religion, and ensure equity, justice and fairness to every part of the country.

    “I remember that Maitama Sule, when he visited the President, urged him to do justice to everybody. That is very important, because where there is justice, there is peace and progress.

    “My kind of leader is someone who will also appreciate the suffering of Nigerians, and make effort to ameliorate or eliminate them. We need a leader who will be progressive, so that Nigeria will occupy its pride of place in Africa,” Igbokwe said.

    Quakers said contemporary events showed a generational shift in politics and management of economies globally. He, however, called for balance.

    “You can see a new generation of leaders emerging, which is a reflection of global politics, but you also need to look at experience and find a balance. It’s not in all cases that age is a determining factor.

    “When we talk of younger generation, let it be from 60 downwards. You also need to look at pedigree, what the person has done in his private life.

    “If someone who has not been a successful person in terms of entrepreneurship, for instance, why would you give the person the mantle of leadership?” Quakers asked.

    To former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch Chairman Yinka Farounbi, Babangida is not the best person to offer such an advice.

    “I read the statement of Gen. Babangida with a lot of sadness – sadness in the sense that he is the best example of a Nigerian who should not advise us at all. Apart from the misfortune of Obafemi Awolowo not ruling this country, IBB remains the sore story of this country.

    “His misrule and the ann

    National secretary Dr.James Okoroma, in a statement on behalf of the party said history would be kind to the former President for speaking out against what he described as leadership failure of the government.Okoroma said the former President was “clinical in his presentation by touching on the economy, pervasive insecurity, bloodletting across the country, devolution of power, community policing and restructuring.

    “Babangida’s declaration that restructuring can no longer be wished away shows that there is hope for Nigeria. Those who thought that Buhari’s actions and segregation had the blessings of the entire North can now heave a sigh of relief with a serious opposition coming from another Northern leader of Babangida’s status.”

    While aligning with the former President in appealing to President Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019, the ADP scribe said: “Babangida’s advice that the war against Boko Haram be taken to the inner recesses of Sambisa Forest should be hidden.

    “Babangida spoke as a patriot. He offered solution to every problem he identified in his statement. He has spoken as one of the fathers of modern Nigeria. The issues he has raised should engage the attention of all patriots.

    “History will be kind to IBB for speaking up. The Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM) said Babangida’s position is a tacit endorsement of its agenda to recruit, groom and position credible fresh successor – leaders for the 2019 elections

    NIM’s Deputy Director General Mallam Naseer Kura praised what he described as Babangida’s strategic intervention on the crisis of leadership and politics rocking Nigeria.

    He said NIM is also compelled by the dearth of real political parties in the country to facilitate a major rainbow political platform, modelled after the ANC of South Africa, to undertake the grooming of its adopted candidates for the 2019 elections.

    Kura said: “With this crucial endorsement of the third force initiative of NIM by IBB and other eminent leaders of the country, it means the time has come for fresh breed third force ideologues to rise up and take over the mantle of leadership to lead the country.

     

  • My counsel to the nation, by Babangida

    Text of a statement signed by former military President Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida in Minna, Niger State, refuting the authorship of the statement by Prince Kassim Afegbua.

    Distinguished members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, it has been drawn to my attention a press statement on the State of the Nation, particularly 2019 general elections and beyond.

    Let me categorically state that as former President and statesman, I have unfettered channel of communication with the highest authorities without sensational public correspondence, therefore those views  expressed over there are personal views of the writer.

    However, with due respect to individual opinion and constitutional rights, it is worrisome that political events and civil unrest in many part of the country, has raised many questions on the governance and unity.

    Indeed, 2018 is inundated with seasons of literatures on the corporate existence of this country. Many of such literatures have shown concerns of the corporate existence of Nigeria beyond 2019 general elections.

    It will be recalled, that in my message to this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, I specifically expressed the dire need for proactive measures to stop farmers/herders clashes in the middle belt, Cattle rustling, armed robbery, kidnapping, gangsterism and cultism. Our security agencies have to step up surveillance with more efforts on intelligence gathering for maximum success.

    Recent happenings and utterances by political gladiators is alarming and not in the interest of common man that is already overstretched and apparently living from hand to mouth due to precarious economic conditions.

    Despite all these challenges, I am optimistic that the political actors will play within the ambits of political norms and decorum to ameliorate the problems facing our society now.

    I am a realist that believes in all issues in a democratic atmosphere are sincerely discussed and resolved in the spirit of give and take.

    After my military years that metamorphosed to the only military president in the history of Nigeria and my civilian life, I always have one clear objective – that freedom can only be achieved through democracy.

    Some people find this freedom as an avenue for eroding democracy by antics of hate speeches under the guise of religion, tribal or self-imposed mentorship. This trend of pitching political class and the people is unhealthy and skewed.

    The clamour for re-alignment of governance in the country as we are approaching 2019 election year is a welcome development only if the agitations are genuinely channeled through legislation and total supremacy of the constitution.

    Any attempt outside this circle of democratic tenants is deceptive and divisive idea capable of plunging our political journey into disarray.

    Our present political parties and their structures need parameter pillars that will make them stronger with unique ideologies. However, our present political parties need surgical operation that will fusion them in to a reasonable numbers.

    I have been an advocate of two-party systems but, in our present reality in Nigeria, our political parties can fusion into strong political association/party that can form a formidable opposition to a ruling party.

    As students of history, we are aware that many advanced democracies have two distinct ideological political parties, with a handful of smaller political parties that serve as buffer whenever any of the known political parties derailed or became unpopular. I still believe in two party systems as the best option for Nigeria.

    It is high time that, we dialogue more on any issue in order to have a political solution on any problem affecting us. It is sad that, Nigeria had its fair share of conflicts, and we cannot continue to fall back to those dark years of bloodshed.

    As a people, now is the time to come together to address all communal conflicts and criminality under any guise to further unite the country in line with the vision of our founding fathers so that as a nation, we can forge ahead in the task of building a more prosperous nation.

  • 2019 poll: IBB warns against gang-up outside democratic tenets

    2019 poll: IBB warns against gang-up outside democratic tenets

    A former Military President, General  Ibrahim Babangida on Sunday said any realignment of forces for  2019 poll  must be within democratic tenets.
    He said any gang-up outside outside law and order and democratic tenets  is deceptive and capable of plunging the nation into a deeper crisis.
    Although he did not mention any group, Babangida’s statement appeared a subtle response to the recourse to the forming of movements against President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election.
    One of such movements is ex -President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigeria Movement ( CNM).
    Babangida also  insisted that only a two-party system is the best for the country.
    But he recommended the fusion of parties to serve as a strong opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress( APC).
    He also called for proactive measures to stop farmers/herders clashes in the middle belt, cattle rustling, armed robbery, kidnapping, gangsterism and cultism in other parts of the country.
    Babangida, who disowned an earlier statement by his media aide, Prince Kassim Afegbua, personally signed the latest statement.
    He said since he has unfettered access to the highest authorities in the country, there was no way he would have written a sensational statement.
    He however said it was worrisome that political events and civil unrest in many parts of the country had raised many questions on the governance and unity of the nation.
    The statement said: ” “Recent happenings and utterances by political gladiators are alarming and not in the interest of common man that is already overstretched and apparently living from hand to mouth due to precarious economic conditions.
    “Despite all these challenges, I am optimistic that the political actors will play within the ambits of political norms and decorum to ameliorate the problems facing our society now.
    “I am a realist that believes in all issues in a democratic atmosphere are sincerely discussed and resolved in the spirit of give-and-take.
    ” Since after my military years that metamorphosed to being the only Military President in the history of Nigeria and my civilian life, I always have one clear objective that freedom can only be achieved through democracy.
    “Some people find this freedom as an avenue for eroding democracy by antics of hate speeches under the guise of religion, tribal or self-imposed mentorship. This trend of pitching political class and the people against one another is unhealthy and must be discouraged by all and sundry.
    “The clamour for re-alignment of governance in the country as we are approaching the 2019 election year is a welcome development only if the agitations are genuinely channelled through appropriate channels of law and order and the observance of the supremacy of the Constitution.
    “Therefore, any attempt outside this circle of democratic tenets is deceptive and divisive idea capable of plunging our political journey into disarray.”
    He cautioned against hate speeches and divisive statements by political gladiators.
    He added: “However, with due respect to individual opinion and constitutional rights, it is worrisome that Political events and civil unrest in many parts of the country have raised many questions on the governance and unity of our great nation.
    “Indeed 2018 has been inundated with political clamours and hot debates over the corporate existence of this country.
    “Many of contributions, including constructive criticisms and engagements, have shown greater concerns for the corporate existence of Nigeria beyond 2019 general elections.
    Babangida insisted on a two-party structure for the country.
    He added: “Our present political parties and their structures need parameter pillars that will make them stronger with unique ideologies. However, our present political parties need surgical operations that will align them into a reasonable number.
    ” I have been an advocate of a two-party system but in our present reality in Nigeria, our political parties can fuse into a strong political association or party that can form a formidable opposition to a ruling party.
    “As students of history, we are aware that many advanced democracies have two distinct ideological political parties, with a handful of smaller political groupings that serve as buffer whenever any of the known political parties derailed or became unpopular. I still believe in a two-party system as the best option for Nigeria.
    “It is high time that we engage in constructive dialogue on national issues in order to have a political solution to our myriad of problems. It is sad that Nigeria had its fair share of conflicts, and we cannot continue to fall back to those dark years of bloodshed.”
    He disowned an earlier statement by his media aide, Prince Kassim Afegbua, who was a former Commissioner for Information in Edo State.
    He said: “My attention has been drawn to a press statement on the State of the nation with a particular reference to 2019 general elections and beyond.
    “Let me categorically state that as a former President and Statesman, I have unfettered access and channel of communication with the highest authorities in the country without necessary going public with a sensational statement.
    “Therefore, the views expressed in the alleged statement are not mine but that of the writer.”
    On herders-farmers’ clash, Babangida called for for proactive measures to stop the challenge.
    He also urged security agencies to step up surveillance with more efforts on intelligence to address Cattle rustling, armed robbery, Kidnapping, gangsterism.
    “It will be recalled that in my recent message on this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, I specifically expressed the dire need for proactive measures to stop farmers/herders clashes in the middle belt as well as Cattle rustling, armed robbery, Kidnapping, gangsterism and Cultism in other parts of the country.
    “Our security agencies have to step up surveillance with more efforts on intelligence gathering towards ensuring maximum security of life and property.
    ” As a people, now is the time to come together to address all Communal conflicts and criminality under any guise so as to unite the country in line with the vision of our founding fathers  so that we can forge ahead in the task of building a more prosperous nation.”
  • IBB to Buhari: Dont contest for another term

    IBB to Buhari: Dont contest for another term

    Barely two weeks after a similar advice, ex-Military President, Ibrahim Babangida has asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.
    He urged Buhari to complete his first term and allow a new generation of leaders to take control of the affiars of the nation.
    Babangida gave the advice in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday through his media aide, Prince Kassim Afegbua.
    “In the fullness of our present realities, we need to cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari to complete his term of office on May 29th, 2019 and collectively prepare the way for new generation leaders to assume the mantle of leadership of the country.
    “While offering this advice, I speak as a stakeholder, former president, concerned Nigerian and a patriot who desires to see new paradigms in our shared commitment to get this country running. While saying this also, I do not intend to deny President Buhari his inalienable right to vote and be voted for, but there comes a time in the life of a nation, when personal ambition should not override national interest,” Bababgida stated.
    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a recent statement advised President Buhari against re-contesting for the presidency in 2019
    Details later