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Tag: IBB

  • Atiku In Private Meeting With Abdulsalami, IBB

    Atiku In Private Meeting With Abdulsalami, IBB

    Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday, met with former military President Ibrahim Babangida and former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) in Minna, Niger State.

    Details of the meeting was not made public but the elder statesmen posed for pictures with Atiku before they went behind closed doors.

    Atiku is currently in Yola, Adamawa State capital, ahead of the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly election of Saturday.

    The PDP Presidential Candidate consulted both men in the buildup to the 2023 elections.

  • 2023: Put Nigeria Above Other Interests, IBB Tells Presidential Aspirants

    2023: Put Nigeria Above Other Interests, IBB Tells Presidential Aspirants

    Former Military President General Ibrahim Babangida has told those aspiring for the presidency to put Nigeria above other interests in everything they do.

    Babangida gave the counsel when he received the former Senate President Bukola Saraki; Bauchi, and Sokoto State governors, Bala Mohammed and Aminu Tambwal respectively when they paid him a courtesy visit at his Hilltop residence in Minna, Niger State on Thursday.

    “Your belief in having a better Nigeria featured very prominently. You made my day. What you talked about is Nigeria, Nigeria, Nigeria. I want you to keep it up, for the benefit of this country and generations yet unborn,” Babangida said in reaction to the comments from Mr Saraki who led the three-man delegation.

    “I want you to keep it up, for the benefit of this country and generations yet unborn. What you are doing is good, this is how the country should develop.”

    He promised to support the group “so long as you stay on the course of promoting Nigeria all the time, making it a secure country”.

    Earlier, the former two-time governor of Kwara State had said they were in Minna “as part of our consultations; going round the country talking to our elders and stakeholders”.

    Saraki, who spoke to newsmen after the visit to General Babangida, said the team felt the former military president should be briefed about the efforts they are making to get a consensus presidential candidate that will face that of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s election.

    “We took him through what we are doing. This is part of what we call solution providing. We are trying to provide a solution to the political process because we want to ensure that it is smooth, it is not rancorous and it leads to a better Nigeria at the end of the day,” he said.

    He said it was out of their “desire to make a better Nigeria that those of us who are aspiring to be president came together that we must find a way of having a consensus so that we can reduce the number and ensure that we have a candidate who is competent who has the support of everybody”.

    According to him, they could not achieve the objective without the wise counsel of General Babangida and other leaders.

    Saraki said Nigerians have been going through hell, especially in the last few days. He condoled those who lost their loved ones and those whose relations are injured or missing due to the train bombing incidents in Kaduna recently.

  • 2023 Presidency: Atiku visits IBB in Minna

    2023 Presidency: Atiku visits IBB in Minna

    Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) stalwart, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has visited former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida in his Uphill resience, Minna, Niger State.

    The meeting lasted for about one hour with no disclosure from both sides on the purpose of the visit.

    However, it was gathered that the visit may not be unconnected with the Presidential ambition of the former Vice President of which he is still making wide consultations.

    Atiku who is yet to make a formal declaration had taken the Presidential shot twice under the platform of the People Democratic Party. (PDP) but failed.

    Atiku from the Hilltop drove to Government House where he paid the state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello.

    In a brief interview with Journalists after the visit, the former Vice President said He was in Government House to pay a sympathy visit with the Governor over the incessant insecurity situation confronting the state, especially in the past few months.

    “I only came on a courtesy visit to the Governor and to commiserate with him and people of the state over the incessant Banditry in Niger state.

    “I just discussed with the Governor on the insecurity in the state and from what I heard, it is a very serious and pathetic situation and it is most unfortunate,” Atiku declared.

    When asked about his Presidential ambition, Atiku said he would make it known when the time comes.

    “I have only come on a visit. I will let you know about my Presidential ambition at the appropriate time,” he declared.

  • IBB: How late Abacha outsmarted prominent Nigerians to get to power

    IBB: How late Abacha outsmarted prominent Nigerians to get to power

    Former military head of state, brahim Badamasi Babangida has narrated how former military ruler, Sani Abacha deceived “prominent Nigerians” to get to power.

    Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust TV, Babaginda said Abacha deceived Nigerians by promising to return the country to civilian rule after deposing Shonekan.

    Babangida,“Abacha’s government was very smart. They knew who were the most vociferous discussants about the election, about the coup, about June 12 and so on.

    They started talking to them and sold a dummy to them and encouraged them to get rid of the interim government: ‘when we get rid of the interim government, we will bring you back to come and take over your democracy so that a civilian government would be installed’.

    “They sold that dummy to the public and to some prominent persons within the society, and when Abacha stepped in, there were drumming and sighs; ‘Good thing! Next thing is going to be a democratically-elected government’. I knew, we knew, that it wouldn’t be because the argument was: ‘Why should I risk my life only to come and hand over power to you?’ That was what happened.

    “I knew it will not come as a surprise because even though I was outside – outside the service – I knew what was going on.”

  • I Knew Abacha Wouldn’t Hand Over – IBB

    I Knew Abacha Wouldn’t Hand Over – IBB

    Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), former military head of state, says he knew Sani Abacha, former military ruler, would not relinquish power after he took over in a coup.

    In the widely known June 12, 1993 election, Moshood Kashimawo Olalekan (MKO) Abiola was in the lead to become president but the election was annulled by Babangida.

    Following the annulment, a national protest ensued, which forced Babangida to step aside and hand over power to Ernest Shonekan on August 27, 1993, as the head of an interim national government.

    Weeks later, Abacha stagged a coup, returning Nigeria to military rule.

    Babangida, in 2021, had said he annulled the election because a bloody coup would have occurred if he did not.

    When asked in an interview with Daily Trust TV, if his reason for annulling the election was because he was still in government, Babangida said, “No, I wasn’t there let me get that right”.

    “When we came up with the idea of an interim government, Nigerians said they were tired of anything or the media phrase was “that contraption called interim government,” he said.

    “What we did, the interim government, we gave it life, we gave it tenure, we had a date for another election but we were told “forget it, no election; Nigerians are weary of election, just pack and go”.

    “We managed to set it up, we gave it six months so that by February of 199…I can’t remember now, we could have held another election, so that we can hand over to a democratically elected government.

    “Now one of the fears is that we couldn’t come openly and tell you people that this is what we fear or this is what we are going to do, somebody is going to do A,B,C,D,E,F. The life of that interim government was cut short by coup d’etat, change of government.

    “And the Abacha’s government was very smart. They knew who were the most vociferous discussants about election, about coup, about June 12 and so on, they started talking to them and sold a dummy to them, they encourage them to get rid of the interim government; “when we get rid of the interim government we will bring you back to come and take over your democracy so that a civilian government would be installed”.

    “They sold that dummy to the public and to some prominent persons within the society and when Abacha stepped in, there were drumming and sighs; “Good thing! Next thing is going to be a democratically elected government”.

    “I knew, we knew, that it wouldn’t be because the argument was: “Why should I risk my life only to come and hand over power to you?”, that was what happened.”

  • 2023 : IBB endorses Osinbajo for Presidency

    2023 : IBB endorses Osinbajo for Presidency

    Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida has endorsed the candidature of Vice President Yemi Osibanjo in the 2023 presidential elections, saying he is a good man to lead Nigeria.

    IBB stated this when the Osibanjo Grassroot Organization visited him in his Uphill Residence in Minna.

    “I know the Vice Pesident very well. He is a good man. A man who has conviction about Nigeria; a man who can communicate with the country and inspire people. Such a man is worthy person to work with. We need good man to lead Nigeria.”

    He described Osibanjo as a man who has passion for the country, adding, “Nigeria is a good country too; the people of Nigeria are good . You must learn to understand people and communicate with them. And constant discussion is key.

    “I want to convey my best wishes to the Vice-president through you. And I want you to tell him to stay on cause. I know it’s not easy but he has the conviction. I wish him the best,” Babangida noted .

    The elder statesman further revealed that he decided to speak to them because of the Vice-President, insisting that he knew Osibanjo has what it takes to be a good leader.

    Speaking, the National Convener of the Organization, Mr. OJo Foluso expressed joy with the endorsement of the former military leader, saying, ” we came to consult the Oracle and the Oracle has spoken. General IBB is an oracle because he understands Nigeria”.

    He also stated that the group would continue to pressure on the VP to pick interest in contesting for the presidency in the 2023 general elections.

    The Team Leader, Chief Emma Ejiofor, in his speech noted that the Osibanjo Grassroot Organization visited was prepared to work with advice of prominent citizens such as Gen. Babangida, especially because of their sound knowledge and understanding of the country.

    “At this moment, Nigeria is in dire need of leaders with conviction and passion for her development and growth,” he added.

  • Why June 12 election was annulled – IBB

    Why June 12 election was annulled – IBB

    Former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has explained why his junta annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

    The election was adjuged by most Nigerians as the freest and fairest in the nation’s democratic experience.

    It was contested between Chief Moshood Abiola of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Bashir Tofa of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC).

    Babangida, while speaking with Arise TV during an interview on Friday monitored by The Nation, explained if he had not annulled the election, a violent coup d’etat would have happened.

    He said: “If it materialised, there would’ve been a coup d’etat — which could have been violent. That’s all I can confirm.

    “It didn’t happen thanks to the engineering and the ‘maradonic’ way we handled you guys in the society. But that could’ve given room for more instability in the country.”

    Babangida said there was pressure on his junta within and outside the military to nullify the election for that reason.

    “Both. The military can do it because they have the weapons to do it, and others (civil society groups) can use agitation,” he added.

  • 2023: IBB Gives Criteria for Next Nigerian President

    2023: IBB Gives Criteria for Next Nigerian President

    Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), might have ruled out a former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and a former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, from the 2023 presidential run, because they would be in their 70s by the next election.

    Although IBB as Babangida is fondly called did not in any way mention their names as ineligible for the nation’s number one seat, he however suggested that individuals in their 60s should be the focus of Nigerians as potential presidential candidates in 2023.

    By the next general election in 2023, Atiku, who is 75 this year would be 77, while Tinubu, who marked an official 68th birthday in March, would have turned 70 years.

    Babangida, who himself will be 80 on August 17 this year, was confident that the nation is endowed with both human and natural resources, hinted at a few individuals, whom he said were in their 60s, had the capacity to become president and could effectively run the country.

    Speaking in a sneak preview of a two-part series of an exclusive interview to be aired on the Arise News, focusing on the State of the Nation, IBB said one of the reasons Nigeria has refused to progress and achieve the dreams of the founding fathers was because Nigerians no longer believed in the future of their own country.

    The former leader, who accused the Nigerian people of creating and at the same time, destroying their own country, identified bad leadership as yet a major reason for the socio-economic challenges facing Nigeria.

    Talking about the presidential hopefuls he had in mind, IBB said they were persons in their 6os with contacts across the nation and who had been traversing the geo-political zones marketing their acceptability and capacity.

    Specifically on the importance of leadership in nation-building and where he thought the likes of Atiku and Tinubu no longer fit the bill, IBB said: “If you get a good leadership that links with the people and tries to talk with the people; not talking on top of the people, then we would be okay.
    “I have started visualising a good Nigerian leader. That is, a person, who travels across the country and has a friend virtually everywhere he travels to and he knows at least one person that he can communicate with.

    “That is a person, who is very verse in economics and is also a good politician, who should be able to talk to Nigerians and so on. I have seen one, or two or three of such persons already in his sixties.”
    But when asked if the person could emerge victorious in the 2023 presidential election, the Minna-born former military leader said, “I believe so if we can get him.”

    Responding to a question on whether or not he still believed in the future of Nigeria, the former military president, who turns 80 on August 17, 2021, said: “I do believe in the future of Nigeria, but Nigerians don’t believe in the future of their country. They created and they destroyed.”

    Reiterating his belief in the future of Nigeria and urging Nigerians to remain patriotic, Babangida, who claimed to feeling good as he was about to turn 80 years, with gratitude to God for sparing his life, advised Nigerians to go for the person that has what it takes to transform the country when the time comes.

    IBB served as head of state between 1985 and 1993. Born in Niger State, he received military training in Nigeria, India, Great Britain, and the United States. He rose through the ranks and was known for his courage, having also played a major role in suppressing an attempted coup in 1976, when he walked into a rebel-held radio station unarmed.

    After Murtala Mohammed became the military head of state in 1975, Babangida joined his Supreme Military Council, and as military president after taking over power on August 27, 1985, he introduced economic policies such as the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), that altered the course of the nation and liberalise the economy.

    At 80 on the 17th, Babangida is one of the leaders like Muhammadu Buhari who have dominated Nigeria’s political space since 1966.

  • JUST IN: IBB is alive, says media aide

    JUST IN: IBB is alive, says media aide

    Former Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) is not dead as widely reported by some online media on Thursday morning.

    One of his media aides, Mahmud Abdullahi, who spoke to The Nation said death cannot be hidden in the north.

    According to him, if the former President is dead, the news would not be hidden and cannot be hidden.

    He said it was high time people stopped spreading false information, stressing if Babangida was dead, the news would not be hidden from anyone.

    When The Nation reached the Uphill residence of the former President, sources said Babangida is hale and hearty.

  • Nigeria Can Overcome Its Security Threats – IBB

    Nigeria Can Overcome Its Security Threats – IBB

    Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida says the security threats faced by Nigeria at this time, can be dealt with.

    In an interview on Tuesday, General Babangida stated that the nation can overcome its security issues if those in the position of authority plan appropriately.

    He said quashing the threats posed by kidnappers, bandits, and the insurgents require a lot of planning, adding that it is not a short-term plan.

    General IBB said he has obtained information suggesting that security agencies are working together to map out new strategies on how to deal with the situation.

    The former president while stating that he is concerned about the situation in the country, urged the government and the citizenry to join forces to overcome the problem.

    Similarly, former Head of State, Retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar says all hands must be on deck to ensure that the insecurity menace in the country is tackled appropriately.

    Speaking on Tuesday after a meeting with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum in Minna, the former president said he urged the governors to stop all squabbles within themselves.

    According to him, the nation’s security architecture is overstretched and the Police Force is underpopulated, hence the need for support from the citizens and an increase in manpower.

    General Abubakar said it is sad that citizens are now being seen as strangers and are looked at with suspicion when they leave their states of origin and visit other parts of the country.

    The Elder Statesman was of the opinion that the nation must go back to the time when brotherly love existed, saying “Let us go back to when we were our brothers’ keeper”.