Election 2011:” I am back with a big bang” says Babangida aiming for Nigeria’s Presidency
Ibrahim babangida
Ex-Nigerian military ruler Ibrahim Babangida has finally declared open his intention to run for the nation’s Presidency, come election 2011.
His intention is coming, nearly two decades after his annulment of the popular June 12,1993 election agreed worldwide to be the fairest in Nigerian history.
President Babangida declared his intention during a media parley in his little world MInna safe haven.
“Given my wealth of experience and decades of leadership study, plus the urgent need to confront the challenges of our national lives, I believe the time is ripe for me to serve our people as a civilian president,” he said in a statement which was presented to the media gurus.
The ex Heads of State had done his research to actually convince he was not alien to the myriads of problems confronting the nation, touching on every issue with his usual charisma and conviction that he would be the best man for the job if given the opportunity
“We must begin to address our minds on the practice of true federalism, creation of State Police to support our Federal Police, devise ways of running slim government, devolve power at the centre and build on our foreign policy and defense profiles. These are some of my attractions and motivation for leadership” he told his guests.
He continued in his usual rhetorism:” “I believe that together we can drive the ship of state to the bay of hope and prosperity, through selfless service, positive political will and visionary leadership, based on skill and experience with consideration for national balance and effective separation of powers. My military discipline, knowledge of the country, democratization over the years, astute leadership endowments, amiability and nation-wide acceptance are eloquent testimonials for my qualification for the number one job. I say, like Sir Winston Churchill give me the tools and I will finish the job for you.
The apparently tired former dictator however touched on other various issues put had put him in the dock in the mind of millins of Nigerians, speaking on Dele Giwa and the allege embezzlement od 12.4 billion dollarts Gulf war windfalls.
During his last interview with the London based Ben Television, he spoke on Dele Giwa urging Nigerians to put the issue of his death behind to allow the nation to move on.
The comment however had aggrieved a large percentage of Nigerians who accused him of trivialising a very important issue of both national and international interest.
Del Giwa was murdered at the peak of his regime in 1986 and there had never been any explanation about those who carried out the high profile murder.
He maintained:” For the umpteenth time, I wish to state that, I did not murder Dele Giwa. In addition, no agent or agency of government was found guilty of this heinous act by the law courts. I am a man of great faith in God and I believe in the sanctity of life. My discipline as a military commander also does not condone the killing of defenceless innocent people.
Aside, court judgments have vindicated me on this. Some of them were by the esteemed Justice Candido Johnson who quashed the allegation for want of evidence by the prosecutors. Nevertheless, perception, often repeated, no matter how untrue, becomes very hard to obliterate.
Babangida becomes the second Muslim from the country’s north to seek the ruling party’s nomination for the election, which could occur as early as January, though a date has not yet been set.
The ruling People’s Democratic Party has been divided over whether or not to abandon incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the oil-rich Niger Delta in the south, in favor of a northerner.
Babangida is a controversial figure who was Nigeria’s military ruler from 1985-93 after leading a coup that ousted Buhari/ Idiagbon corrective Military regime,
He overturned results of the 1993 presidential vote, which was widely viewed as fair, and eventually handed over power to an interim government.
“The annulment of the June 12 election is one of the ugly spots one has to live with,” he said, referring to the 1993 vote. “I know that a day will come when Nigerians will forgive our regime because we are a godly nation that embraces the culture of forgiveness.”
He has faced questions over other issues, as well, including how a $12-billion windfall from oil sales during the Gulf war was spent.
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