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Babangida was good to Niger Delta region, group observes
By Bassey Inyang
Correspondent,
Calabar
The
eight-year regime of former Nigerian leader, General Ibrahim Babangida has been
described as the golden era of the Niger Delta region.
The
observation was made in Calabar by the Chairman of the Union of Niger Delta,
Akwa Ibom State, Kingsley Ndedu, while speaking with Daily Independent.
According
to Ndedu, the region, especially Akwa Ibom State, fared better as a result of
some of the policies of Babangida’s regime, which he noted was very
friendly to the Niger Delta people.
Ndedu
stated that it was during Babangida’s era that the onshore/offshore
dichotomy in the sharing formula of the nation’s oil wealth was
abrogated, adding that it was during the former Nigerian leader’s regime
that OMPADEC was established to commence the physical development of the area.
He
noted that people of the region served as petroleum ministers, just as the
people were appointed into top government positions.
Specifically,
Ndedu said the people of Akwa Ibom State would probably have no state of their
own if not for the decision of Babangida to carve the area out of the former
Cross River State.
Consequently,
the chairman said the people of Akwa Ibom State should not be among the groups
to judge Babangida because they benefited a lot from his regime.
Although
he stated that his group is not against the ambition of Babangida to become
president in 2007, Ndedu averred that the former Nigerian leader would need the
mandate of the wider Nigerian society to become president.
He
pointed out that the group will support any presidential aspirant that is not
tribalised and is prepared to see the entire country as his entire
constituency.
On
the annulment of June 12, 1993, presidential election won by the late Chief MKO
Abiola, Ndedu argued that a lot of forces beyond Babangida might have been at
work, stressing, however, that the issue in relation to the presidential
ambition of the former leader will be determined by the Nigerian people.
He
pointed out that whoever will become Nigeria’s president in 2007 will
have to meet certain criteria that will appeal to the electorate, stressing
that the union is just a fraction of the electorate.
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