I Can Be First Lady Again - IBB's Wife
No rift with Buhari, says Babangida
From Louis Achi in Minna, Kola Ologbondiyan and Ahmed Oyerinde in Sokoto
Mrs. Maryam Babangida, wife of Nigerian former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has said that it is possible to return to her former position as the nation's
First Lady. In an interview with THISDAY recently, she added her voice, albeit indirectly to the race for the 2007 presidential election that has dominated national discourse for some time now.
Her words: "It is only God that can determine who becomes the nation's president, First Lady or whatever. At a deeper level, the trajectory of men and women is rooted in the dictates of God, despite any appearances to the contrary. So, First Lady, insha Allah."
When asked to assess the First Ladies who have come after her since she left the seat of power together with her husband in August 1993, Mrs. Babangida said that it was left for the Nigerian people to do the assessment.
According to her, "it is for the public to assess. It would be impolitic and improper for me to assume the role of a judge over such matters."
She has a word for the Nigerian media whose courage she admires: "In its agenda setting role in society, the media, even against the background of often difficult operating environment, should always focus on issues that unite and elevate instead of those that divide and denigrate. Mind you, ours is a young, developing country with diverse cultures and religions. But nonetheless, it has a great future."
It would be recalled that she brought glamour to being the wife of a sitting head of state. Not only that, she instituted Better Life for Rural Women, a programme that attracted both criticism and commendation from Nigerians. While some people felt that public money was being spent without accountability and decorum, others testified that it did touch their lives.
In 1991, Better Life which was conceived in 1987 won her Africa Price for Leadership. That year, she shared the award and limelight with Kenya's Professor Wangari Muta Maathai. It was President Olusegun Obasanjo who had won the award the preceeding year.
Meanwhile, for the uptenth time in his interaction with newsmen, former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, yesterday in Sokoto said he has no rift with with his predecessor in office, Major-General Muham-madu Buhari (rtd) and if any, was a creation of the media.
Babangida, who spoke with newsmen at the close of the opening session of the Northern Senators Forum Retreat in Sokoto, said he and Buhari are both aware of the move by the media to destroy their relationship.
According to him, "the rift between me and General Buhari is the hype of the media. Buhari knows, I know what we believe we believe in. There's no quarrel but you (journalists) created the quarrel and there is nothing we can do to convince you.
"So we have allowed you (journalists) to keep on writing that there is a war between us. But Buhari knows that there is no war between me and him. He knows and I know, so if you don't believe us write what you want," he said.
Asked to comment on the commitment of northerners to unite in the interest of the region, Babangida said "everybody is really committed. If the north comes together, it also helps to promote the unity of this country and I see it from that light which I think is good.
"We just have to bury all our differences. These differences do exist but once we set for ourselves a common objective that is not inimical to the unity of the country or to the well-being of the country, then it would be to the interest of the country and to the interest of the north," he said further.
On the essence of the meeting, Babangida said: "This thing is happening all over the country. We have the Eastern Governors Forum, we have the Southern Governors Forum and Northern Senators Forum. I see it as getting in a compatmentalised fashion to bring about those elkements that may have an overall effect on the unity and well-being of the country," he said.
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