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2007: Only God can stop me
- IBB
JOHN SHIKLAM,kaduna
ERSTWHILE military President Gen.
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) said that only God could stop him from becoming
president again, in 2007.
Babangida, who stepped down from power 11 years ago, stated
that he was not bothered about attacks on his person concerning the 2007
project.
He spoke in Funtua, Katsina State, where
he had gone to condole with former Minister of Special Duties Alhaji Wada Nas on
the death of the latter’s wife, Hadiza.
Babangida said he was not perturbed by
widespread attacks on his person, and demands that he must apologise to
Nigerians for the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election which was
presumed to have been won by the now late multi-millionaire Chief Moshood
Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.
Outstanding among his latest attackers are
Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka and Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria
and former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Dr. Sunday
Mbang.
According to Gen. Babangida, he has spoken
so much over the June 12 election matter, and pleaded to be spared any further
ordeal.
Those castigating him over the matter and
demanding apology are entitled to their own opinion, he added, saying such
persons are not God after all.
About a month ago, Prof. Soyinka had
demanded that the Minna-born General apologise to Nigerians over the June 12,
poll presumed to have been won by business mogul the late Chief Moshood
Kashimawo Abiola.
Prof. Soyinka said such penitence by Gen.
Babangida was imperative if the former military President desired to take a shot
at the nation’s top position in 2007, as widely speculated by the latter’s
retinue of former and serving aides and promoters of the claimed ambition.
Apart from apologising, Prof. Soyinka said
Gen. Babangida should thereafter await the response of Nigerians to the apology
after which, if positive, the citizenry will then screen him to run.
Soyinka condemned the poll results’
annulment, saying it was unfortunate.
Further fire came against Gen. Babangida
when Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria and former president of the
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Mbang said he will campaign against
Baban gida, should he run for 2007.
The former military ruler, Dr. Mbang
submitted, is not the persons Nigerians want in 2007.
But reacting, Gen. Babangida said none of
the two personalities is God.
"It is a democracy. He has his right to
say anthing he likes and none of them is God. No problems," he stated.
"Mbang is a man of God and I am a believer
in God also. If he (Mbang) is God, he can do whatever he likes," he added.
It would be recalled that Gen. Babangida
has often said he believes that everything pertaining to man is ordained by God,
adding that his claimed 2007 ambition is inclusive.
He, however, added that he had acquired a
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership card number 007.
Though he has not personally opened up to
affirm that he would run for President in 2007, Gen. Babangida’s close
associates, including Prof. Omo Omoruyi, who led the Centre for Democratic
Studies (CDS) during the former ruler’s political transition programme, have
said he (Babangida) had confided in them that he would contest.
Several groups across the country have been pasting
posters, holding meetings and suing for support for the former ruler.
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