Chris Ochayi
24 June 2008
Lagos — FORMER military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, yesterday, denied nursing ambition to succeed incumbent President Umaru Yar'Adua, alleging that some mischief makers were bent on promoting false campaigns to smear him.
Irked by insinuations that he was already campaigning for presidency, Babangida drew the conclusion that such conspiracy theory was aimed to create some kind of discord between him and President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.
Babangida, while reacting to a deluge of accusations and insinuations arising from Professor Humphrey Nwosu's book on the June 12, 1993 presidential elections and other sundry issues mostly targeted at him, said he deserved commendation for the kind of initiatives he introduced into governance and electoral process in the country.
The former ruler, who spoke through his Media Spokesman, Prince Kassim Afegbua, in a statement entitled, "Smear Campaign Against General Babangida", which a copy was made available to Vanguard in Abuja, said his job now is "to assist President Yar'Adua and not to succeed him"
The statement reads; "In the last couple of days, there have been series of blackmailing information on the pages of newspapers trying to discredit His Excellency, General Ibrahim Babangi-da, and create some kind of discord between him and Mr. President, Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua".
"Most disturbing was the one in the weekend edition of the National Mirror, insinuating that IBB has commenced his presidential campaigns.
IBB would not have bothered if the gists around the smearing campaigns conveyed any element of truth; hence, it has become very appropriate at this point in time to put the issues in proper perspectives".
"On the Professor Humphrey Nwosu's book on the June 12 elections, Nigerians should learn to appreciate any intellectual property that is handed down to enrich our history, if not now, then certainly later. Individuals who have superior information could as well come forward with their own accounts and versions of the June 12 elections".
"It is not enough to resort to name calling, name dropping and baseless accusations simply because the details do not fall into the thinking of a select vocal few who have made up their minds and position on the June 12 issue. The road to the library to provoke researches and documentations is an open one".
"No one has monopoly of it, but when it comes to individual accounts of events, then participation becomes very necessary and essential. Professor Nwosu was the Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission and he has a responsibility to give his own account of the June 12 issue from his point of view and not from the point of view of the public".
"On the reported comments of Senator John Shagaya, nothing new was said by the Senator that appears different from the standpoint of IBB on the issues raised.
When IBB was to withdraw from the race in 2007, he wrote to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo on why he would not be comfortable running with his younger brother Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua, who is today the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation".
"He based his moral crisis on the long standing brotherly relationship between himself, President Umaru Yar'Adua and the entire Yar'Adua family.
That position still remains till date and IBB has been contributing his quota and forthcoming with advice when sought. He has stated earlier that his job was to assist the President and not to succeed him.
"Despite all these, mischief makers are still bent on promoting false campaigns for their ulterior motives, insinuating as it were, that IBB was already campaigning for Presidency. Such conspiracy theory!".
"On the June 12 annulment, IBB has repeatedly said that given the circumstances at that period, it was better to take a decision no matter how judgmental than not to take one at all. And that he should be held responsible and accountable for whatever that happened during his tenure as President".
"That is the hallmark of responsible leadership and not the type that would apportion blame to his lieutenants for ease of escape.
Rather than commend such boldness, self acclaimed heroes of June 12 and their propagators including those who actively participated in the annulment process have been running from pillar to post to wear a new toga of saintliness. Nigerians should simply watch the footsteps of such felons in this democratic dispensation".
"There are several challenges before us as a people. We should learn to accord our collective history its rightful place while respecting the rights of everyone to own an opinion on any issue. It is only superior argument that sustains the flavour of discourse, and not name-calling and sheer blackmail".
"As a former President of this great country, he deserves commendation for the kind of initiatives he introduced into our electoral process particularly when compared with the ongoing balkanisation of our electoral process and the elusive nature of credible elections. Let IBB be".
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