2007
IBB Group Parleys with Abiola Family
Obasanjo/Atiku Movement endorses Marwa, change name
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, Tokunbo Adedoja in Lagos and Toba Suleiman in Abeokuta
Two major political re-allignments which may shape the 2007 presidential race took place at the weekend. In one of the moves, leaders of a group canvassing the candidacy of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, held preliminary talks with the family of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola in the late politician's Sabo home in Abeokuta.
The Babangida administration annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election presumed to have been won by Abiola.
Also in Lagos, one of the groups which last year sold the joint ticket of President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar to voters, Obasanjo-Atiku Suc-cess Movement (OASM) at the weekend announced their support for Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa's (rtd) presidential ambition. The group also changed its name to Buba Marwa Success Movement (B-MASM).
The pro-IBB group, called Vision 2007, was received by head of the Abiola family, Alhaji Mubasiru Abiola, who is a younger brother to the late politician.
The pro-IBB group whose leaders converged on Abeokuta for the official launching of the Ogun State chapter of IBB Vision 2007, also conferred membership of the patron of the group on the younger Abiola.
Leader of the delegation to Abiola's house, Alhaji Ahmed Adekunle Makama, disclosed that the visit to the Abiola house and the conferment of the award on Mubasiru was the continuation of earlier talks between Babangida and Abiola family. He said the group chose to make Abiola a patron in recognition of his support to the IBB campaign team.
Makama who explained that Abiola and Babangida families had many things in common, said the visit was to deliver Babangida's goodwill message to members of the Abiola family.
He said that the former military president was ready to work hard in restoring the strong relationship which once existed between the two families.
"We are before you today on the strict courtesy you deserve, to pay you homage as the head of the Abiola dynasty and to let you know that Nigeria still needs you and your advice and we believe IBB will right the wrongs," Makama said.
He added that "come 2007 IBB is coming back to be the President of Nigeria, and that he has therefore asked me to express his gratitude to you and the good people of Abeokuta"
The IBB Vision 2007 team leader said the group had initiated several reconciliatory moves with victims of the Babangida administration policies. He added that the group's experience in the past would help to sustain the focus of the IBB 2007 campaign team.
"We are prepared and we vow that the legacies left behind by the late M.K.O. Abiola would be upheld come 2007 when IBB comes to power," Makama stated.
According to him, since Babangida and Abiola used to be good friends, the friendship would not end with the death of the late politician.
In his response, Alhaji Abiola who expressed gratitude to the visitors, said "I don't have much to say today. I think I will reserve my comment till another time."
However, while responding to a question on whether or not he accepted to be patron. Mubasiru said that he accepted it and that he would be willing to do whatever he could do to assist the group in the state.
While addressing the crowd later at the group's launch, Makama said no amount of opposition can prevent Babangida from becoming the next president of Nigeria.
He said the achievements of the Babangida administration in the areas of education, health care system, security and in several other ways were enough credentials for him to scale all electoral odds in the 2007 general elections.
The launch was attended by over 5 000 people across the state including other delegates from Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Delta and Akwa Ibom states.
The annulment of the June 12, 1993 polls adjudged the freest and fairest polls in the country's history led to prolonged socio-political crises in the country. Late Abiola was later arrested and charged for treasonable offences after he publicly proclaimed himself president on the first anniversary of the 1993 polls.
He died in detention on July 7, 1998 after spending almost four years behind bars.
However, some Yoruba youths operating under the aegis of Odua Youth Federation (OYF) has warned Babangida that he risked being physically attacked if he campaigns in the South-west.
The group also warned Yoruba elders not to support Babangida in his presidential aspiration, as they would regret such actions.
In a statement signed by the OYF Publicity Secretary, Nurudeen Olawale, the youths said, "an average Yoruba Youth is earnestly waiting for open campaign of IBB 2007 Project in South Western States, before people will see the mother of all resistance and street protest that will consume all enemies of June 12 in our democracy."
"Our memory is not short to forget that the annulment of June 12 eventually led to the death of Chief MKO Abiola and many martyrs of June 12 like Ken Saro Wiwa, Shehu Musa Yar Adua, Chief Alfred Rewane and others all over the country.
"OYF is ready to mobilize every youth of Yoruba nation that have conscience to the grave side of Chief Abiola and place what we call an heritage curse on any Yoruba leader and their children that is planning to embrace General Ibrahim Babangida to the Yoruba nation."
Meanwhile, a statement by the Obasanjo-Atiku group, to announce its endorsement of Marwa's candidacy jointly signed by its national president, Comrade Hassan Umoru and National Secretary, Barr. Hassan-Luck Omolowo noted that the change in the name and loyalty were effected in order to re-align and streamline the activities of the organisation with its new ideology and philosophical framework.
The group, which has President Obasanjo as its grand patron, also has on its board eminent Nigerians like Mallam Idris Ali, Senator Ayo Otegbola, Brig-Gen. Yakubu Rindam (rtd), Otunba Johnson Fasawe, Brig-Gen Ibrahim Sabo (rtd) and Brig-Gen. Jafaru Isa (rtd), among others.
The statement read thus:
"At a meeting of the National Working Committee of Obasan-jo-Atiku Success Movement (OASM) held on 28th day of July, 2004, it was unanimously resolved that the name of the organisation; Obasanjo-Atiku Success Movement (OASM) should be changed to Buba Marwa Success Movement (B-MASM).
"The change was effected in order to re-align and streamline the activities of the organisation with its new ideological and philosophical framework. All the assets and liabilities of OASM have been transferred to B-MASM".
It, however, added that the change would not affect or disrupt the mandate of the organisation to support the policies and programmes of the Obasanjo/ Atiku government until 2007.
The group also commended Marwa for his support for the Obasanjo government. It added that it was confident that the former governor of Lagos State, would not relent on his support for the present government until the end of its tenure in 2007.
Though, Marwa has not formally declared his intentions, he is known to have visited major political and opinion leaders in the six zones of the country to hold discussions and seek support.
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