| GOD FORBID! …May
IBB never rule us again - Balarabe Musa
By Kenny Ashaka Kaduna
Monday, August 30, 2004
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•Balarabe Musa
Photo by:Sun News Publishing |
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Second Republic Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Abdulkadir
Balarabe Musa, says that for former military president, General
Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, to be worthy to contest the 2007
presidential poll, he must first explain why he annulled the
June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Babangida had said while celebrating his 63rd birthday in
Minna, Niger State, Tuesday, that he has accepted responsibility
for the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential poll and
that accepting responsibility has resolved the question of
apology.
But a furious Balarabe replied Wednesday while speaking to
Daily Sun, that no amount of apology can atone for the annulment
of what he described as a landmark election, adding: “He
(IBB) and only he can explain what happened.”
The ex-civilian governor who said he was joining the controversy
for the first time poited out: “The issue is not just
apologising. Nigerians should know what happened and what
informed the annulment of a free and fair election we had
on June 12, 1993.”
Apology not necessary
“I believe apology is not even necessary. Even if it
is necessary, it should be the second thing. The first thing
is that IBB, if he wants us to take him serious, if he wants
us to regard him as being honest enough to vote for him as
president (I hope I will never have to do that), he should
explain what made him annul June 12, 1993 presidential election.
He should explain it clearly.
“If Babangida who wants to contest the presidency of
Nigeria cannot explain the annulment of that election, I think
Nigerians would be regarded as fools if they give him the
opportunity to be a democratically elected president of Nigeria.
So, Babangida should explain June 12. After giving the explanation,
then he may apologise.
“Some of the people who have soft spot for Babangida
(and we know some of them; how ignorant they are in this matter),
people who have soft spot for Babangida who feel there was
injustice committed in relation to June 12 would want Babangida
to explain it, so that at least they will have the moral courage
to support him for his aspiration. But if he can give that
explanation; even the apology cannot be worth it if he cannot
give the explanation. What is the need for the apology if
he cannot explain?
We cannot spare him the ordeal
“This is not a personal issue. This is a public issue.
Whatever he suffers as a result of that annulment is secondary.
The primary thing is that he has to explain to Nigerians,
particularly now that he wants to be the president of Nigeria
again. Nigerians are not fools.
“Anybody who wants to contest elections from local government
up to the presidential level should know that he is something
like free for all. Everybody has the right to investigate
him and even to expose him. Nigerians need to know that they
have a leader who is credible; who is capable; and who they
can rely on. We just don’t want to elect anybody.”
However, responding to the question as to whether he (Balarabe)
would support the former military president if he explains,
the erstwhile civilian governor says, “If he explains,
that explanation will make the apology relevant or irrelevant.
“So, it is that explanation that will raise the issue
of whether there is the need for apology or not. He may be
able to explain matters in such a way that he cannot be blamed
for what happened. In that case, he doesn’t even need
to apologise. Nigerians can be convinced that he played the
part that he should play as president of Nigeria.”
As the chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties
(CNPP), Balarabe says, he cannot support Babangida because
that would amount to anti - CNPP stance. “His
party is PDP and PDP is not participating in the CNPP. Even
the PDP is free to join the CNPP and be active. Even if the
PDP joins the CNPP, then we’ll have to give him the
same chance that we give any aspirant whose party is in the
CNPP.”
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