Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, yesterday in Benin, Edo State, confirmed that he would contest the 2011 presidential election. The confirmation has put paid to the intense speculation in recent weeks that he would throw his hat into the presidential contest in next year’s election.
Babangida spoke briefly with newsmen at the Benin Airport on his way to Asaba, the Delta State capital, for the commissioning of a dual carriageway named after his late wife, Miriam, and a lecture in her honour.
Said Babangida: “I am going to Delta State because of the special love I have for it and courtesy of the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.” Ask to comment on the speculation on his presidential ambition in 2011, he simply said: “The speculation is correct.”
The former military president who ruled Nigeria from August 27, 1985 – August 27, 1993 had told Nigerians during the recent 54th birthday of the Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, that he was still consulting on whether he would contest the 2011 presidential election.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was also reported to have held secret meeting with Babangida on the presidential election and had reportedly given his support to IBB’s return to power.
In Asaba, the self-styled former military president, for the first time in 19 years, accepted a chieftaincy title from his in-laws.
While conferring the title, the Asagba of Asaba, Prof Chike Edozien, said: “We view the conferment of this chieftaincy not only as a recognition and appreciation of your past immense services to our community but also as a call for even greater future service. It is evident from the events of our past that our country is in dire need of strong, purposeful, dedicated and selfless leadership. We hope that notwithstanding your well-earned retirement, you will not hesitate to make it possible for us all to benefit in full from your experience, leadership, wisdom and popularity.”
The Asaba monarch noted that the honour was in recognition of siting the state capital in Asaba, the hometown of his deceased wife, who died of cervical cancer last December in a California, United States hospital.
Babangida accepted the title with joy while his daughter and first lady of Zamfara State, Aisha Babangida Shinkafi, received the title of Ochiligwe Nneoha of Asaba on behalf of her late mother.
A memorial lecture in honour of the late Miriam Babangida was later held at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba.
The lecture was delivered by the Deputy High Commissioner in the South African High Commission, Mr. Godfrey Mulaudzi on behalf of Dr (Mrs) Winnie Mandela. Meanwhile, the family of slain journalist and founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch Magazine, Mr. Dele Giwa, has said it is still optimistic that even 24 years after his death, his killers would not go unpunished.
Younger sister of the late journalist, who was killed via a parcel bomb in October 1986 during the Babangida regime, Mrs Ronke Abibat Aboaba, told journalists in Lagos on Saturday justice would be done at the end of the day, “since God was a righteous God.” “We are optimistic that even 24 years after the death of my brother, his killers would not go unpunished.
In Nigeria, it is very difficult to get justice especially when you are not among the powerful people, (but) since God is a righteous God, justice would be done at the end of the day.” When asked the efforts of the family to pursue the case after the death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the downcast woman in an emotion-laden voice admitted that, “the family has no strength to pursue the case.”
Her words: “When Chief Gani Fawehinmi died, we lost hope resigning to fate that justice would not be gotten because in Nigeria, you cannot get justice if you have a case but have no power. “When Chief Fawehinmi died, we asked ourselves: “what will happen to the question: Who killed Dele Giwa? But it gladdens our hearts that, last October, another group emerged and organized a rally with the theme: “Who killed Dele Giwa?
“Again, for me, the issue is not legally dead because a group of people is still working on it. It is not dead because God is not dead.” On the home front, Mrs Aboaba said: “God has been very sufficient for us. God is taking care of us. The children are now grown up and they are catching up with their life fast.”
When asked to comment on Babangida’s ambition to become president in 2011, the woman flared up, saying: “God will not allow Babangida to be president of this country until the circumstances surrounding the death of my brother during his regime is unraveled.”
According to her, if IBB had a hand in his death, “it means God is keeping him alive to bring him to justice.”
The former military strongman stepped aside on August 26, 1993 following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which was widely believed to have been won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola.
Already, a mass movement aimed at producing Babangida as Nigeria’s next democratically elected President is gaining ground. Sources close to the gap-toothed General indicated that he had actually put machinery in place to contest on the platform of the PDP.
Indeed, he is said to have set up contact groups across the nation towards achieving the 2011 project.
Sub-committees comprising of prominent individuals are also said to have been set up to work on the project. Already, publicity, finance, contact and mobilization as well as strategy sub-committees are already in place.
Some of the committees are headed by Senators, Representatives and notable businessmen.
Prominent Nigerians have also been enlisted in the contact committee to “soften the ground” before the public declaration.
The project has equally received endorsements from far and near, with former President Olusegun Obasanjo the latest to back the plan. The IBB 2011 project has also been reportedly okayed by serving governors of no fewer than 16 states in the federation.
Most of the governors are said to be in the PDP.
IBB and Obasanjo were said to have met last week during which the former Military President reportedly sounded him out on his intention to join the presidential race in 2011 to complete the northern slot after Yar’Adua.
Obasanjo, who reportedly assented to the plan, was said to have advised IBB to equally reach out to some people in the South-South and South East to facilitate the plan. Obasanjo was once reported to have told Dr Goodluck Jonathan in the heat of effort to make the latter Acting President that he should forget the idea of contesting the 2011 presidential polls but should focus on making meaningful impact during the short period left to complete the four-year tenure of Yar’Adua.
Both the leadership of the PDP and governors elected on the platform of the party had equally ruled out the possibility of Jonathan having a shot at the Presidency. They said the slot would remain in the North for another four years in line with the 1998 zoning arrangement agreed by the party leaders.
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