Controversy as IBB asks Buhari not to seek reelection in 2019

* I did not authorize the statement – IBB
* No, I received approval from ex-military president- Kassim Afegbua

Controversy has continued to trail the statement credited to a former military President, Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, advising President Muhammadu Buhari to abandon his reelection bid just as he asked Nigerians to #
cooperate with him until the end of his tenure while shopping for a new generation of leaders in 2019.

According to a statement made available on Sunday in Minna by Mr Kassim Afegbua, the spokesman of Babangida, stated that it was time for Buhari to sacrifice “personal ambition” for the “national interest”.

But Babangida has distanced himself from the statement, claiming that the statement represent the views of Afegbua. He further disowned the statement on the grounds that he had different channels to communicate with the President on national issues.

The statement by Afegbua had quoted Babangida as saying that “In the fullness of our present realities, we need to cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari to complete his term of office on May 29, 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. This is the time for us to reinvent the will and tap into the resourcefulness of the younger generation, stimulate their entrepreneurial initiatives and provoke a conducive environment to grow national economy both at the micro and macro levels.

“The next election in 2019 therefore presents us a unique opportunity to reinvent the will and provoke fresh leadership that would immediately begin the process of healing the wounds in the land and ensuring that the wishes and aspirations of the people are realized in building and sustaining national cohesion and consensus.”
Babangida also expressed worries about the state of the nation, pointing out the incessant clashes between the farmers and herdsmen and killings across the country.

He said, “In the past few months also, I have taken time to reflect on a number of issues plaguing the country. I get frightened by their dimensions. I get worried by their colourations. I get perplexed by their gory themes.

“From Southern Kaduna to Taraba State , from Benue State to Rivers, from Edo State to Zamfara, it has been a theatre of blood with cake of crimson. In Dansadau in Zamfara State recently, North-West of Nigeria, over 200 souls were wasted for no justifiable reason. The pogrom in Benue State has left me wondering if truly this is the same country some of us fought to keep together.

“I am alarmed by the amount of blood-letting across the land. Nigeria is now being described as a land where blood flows like river, where tears have refused to dry up. Almost on a daily basis, we are both mourning and grieving, and often times left helpless by the sophistication of crimes.

“The Boko Haram challenge has remained unabated even though there has been commendable effort by government to maximally downgrade them. I will professionally advise that the battle be taken to the inner fortress of Sambisa Forest rather than responding to the insurgents’ ambushes from time to time.”

But few hours after the statement went viral, Babangida in another statement distanced himself from the statement by Afegbua.

In a statement reportedly signed by him, Babangida said he has unfettered access to President Buhari and would not have resorted to advising him through the pages of newspapers.

He wrote, “My attention has been drawn to 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.”

Babangida added that with due respect to individual opinion and constitutional rights, it was worrisome that political events and civil unrest in many part of the country, has raised many questions on the governance and unity to the extent that 2018 is inundated with seasons of literatures on the corporate existence of the country.

He said in his message to this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day that he 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.

He added that he had through that statement called on security agencies to step up surveillance with more efforts on intelligence gathering for maximum success.

He however noted that 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. He expressed optimisim that the political actors will play within the ambits of political norms and decorum to ameliorate the problems facing our society now.

Babangida said, “Since 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.”
But Afegbua has insisted that Babangida authorised the statement, claiming that he has been the media aide of the former leader for over 14 years and have not been found wanting in articulating the views of his boss.

In a telephone conversation with The Daily Times last night, Afegbua maintained that the disclaimer statement addressed Babangida with the GCON title as against GCFR, hence his doubt on the authenticity of the counter statement.

He said, “The former President authorised the statement I issued. I didn’t just put out statements on my own”.
Babangida’s statement is coming few days after former President Olusegun Obasanjo urged Buhari not to seek reelection but join the league of former President’s who will play advisory role to the government.

The Daily Times recalls that Babangida had in a military coup, overthrew Buhari-led military regime in 1985 and ruled the country till 1993 when he was forced to step aside, following his infamous action of annulling the June 12, 1993 presidential election that was won by a business mogul, the late Chief MKO Abiola.