Minna — FORMER military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida yesterday insisted that the late Major-Gen. Mamman Vatsa was found guilty of coup plotting and had to pay the supreme price in accordance with the law.

He also promised to soon speak out on such controversial issues as the $12.4 billion Gulf War oil windfall, the assassination of Mr Dele Giwa, the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election and the crash of Hercules C130 plane at Ejigbo, Lagos.

Gen. Babangida, who spoke in an interview with newsmen at his Hilltop Minna residence said such clarification became imperative following various public perceptions on the issues in the past five years.

Daily Champion recalls that Vatsa, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was among the seven military officers executed in the 1986 coup by the Babangida regime.

In June, this year his widow, Sufiya, petitioned President Olusegun Obasanjo with a plea to prosecute Babangida for allegedly killing her husband.

But responding to the issue, Babangida said "I was satisfied that we did not do what we did out of malice or hatred but in accordance with the law; stressing that, "my wife (Maryam) sent a note pleading on behalf of Vatsa."

According to him, "Vatsa is not the only one implicated, really I know he is a friend. The other people involved in the coup are fellow human beings, their lives are all very important.

"I am not too much in a hurry on the history of the nation, what I insist is that people should be able to know the other side of the story."

Babangida disclosed that he has at his disposal documents on such issues people are hanging on to truncate his political ambition and that he would at the appropriate time educate Nigerians and the world on the issues.

"I concluded I owe a duty to the public to talk about the issue of the $12.4 billion gulf oil money; Dele Giwa issue, the June 12; Vatsa and of recent the Ejigbo Hercules plane crash. I have six volumes of the issues which I have studied. I will tell my position and then allow individuals to make their judgment."

The former president emphasised that "we will be unfair to Nigeria and Nigerians if we allow this to dominate the debate of uniting the country. I will dish out my own part of the issues and people will judge."

On his relationship with family of the late Vatsa, IBB noted that he needs to be fair to him pointing out that, "I am happy he has been my friend. There are a lot of things, I know about him. It is not in my character to destroy anybody moreso he is not alive".

Babangida maintained that he will never get involved in the exchange of words with Vatsa's family because it would amount to sowing a seed among young ones as well as create a permanent enemity."

The former military president who clocked 65 years on Thursday August 17 said "quite frankly, I told a lot of my friends, I don't allow anything to worry me. 'I don't have too many grudges and that has been keeping me healthy and good looking."

He then expressed the hope that one day somebody would take it upon himself to look for documents and true position of his life and re-write the history of life against the ones printed on the pages of newspapers and magazines."

Meanwhile, General Babangida has resolved to actualise his presidential ambition under the platform of ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007 election.

He explained that eventhough he has some good friends in other political parties, including the national chairman of National Democratic Party (NDP), Alhaji Habus Fari with whom he interacts and exchange ideas on issues, it does not mean he will defect to another party.

He said: "I do not know if I have exhibited any tendency to show that I want to defect to another party. What I really know is that I will contest in a party platform with the support of Nigeria people."

He further stated that it is not in his character to engage in unnecessary squables with those in authority as this will invariably take him to nowhere adding that "instead, I try to maintain cordial relationship."

He described his relationship with President Olusegun Obasanjo as cordial, stating that "To the best of my knowledge, on the 17th August 2006, Obasanjo phoned me to say happy birthday which indicates a sign of love to me because, ordinarily he could have ignored me and the happenings around me.

On the recent arrest of his son, Mohammed by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, he said "As far as the boy and members of my family, are concerned it is natural, anybody can be tempted by God in one way or the other to see if he would be steadfast.

IBB continued "we hardly attribute anything to anybody, I accept it as it happens, I absolutely believe that the unfortunate incident was the total will of God.

Responding on the issue of lingering crisis in PDP, he noted that all political parties have factions and that is Nigeria political system for you.

"I believe that in the appropriate time sanity will come to it, I have given every one the impression that I will throw my cap at the appropriate time, I am just waiting for the party guideline and I will declare within the specified law" he affirmed.

He described the recent killings of political aspirants in the country as disturbing, pointing out that it is necessary for the people and law enforcement agencies to work together to arrest the situation.