Abuja and Minna — Former president Ibrahim Babangida said yesterday that the PDP was being dishonest when it said President Jonathan could run for election next year on his initial joint ticket with the late Umaru Yar'adua.
Babangida, who is seeking to be the ruling party's candidate for the 2011 presidential election, said the late Yar'adua's ticket belongs to the North and so Jonathan, a southerner, should not be allowed to use it.
"The PDP decision on Jonathan to continue on Yar'adua's ticket is dishonest as the ticket belongs to Yar'adua and not Goodluck as the South already has their eight years so the North is only asking for Yar'adua's ticket," the former military ruler told newsmen in Minna, Niger State.
The People's Democratic Party earlier in the month retained the power rotation policy but said President Goodluck Jonathan could seek its nomination because he inherited the late Yar'adua's ticket.
Babangida is among top Northern politicians canvassing for the execution of the power rotation agreement such that the president would not be given the party's presidential ticket for 2011.
He said it would be unfair and unpatriotic to talk about Jonathan retaining Yar'adua's ticket because the president was only a choice as running mate and not necessarily as someone who should be president in 2011.
Babangida also spoke on the level of his acceptance across the country, saying he is more popular in the South-Western part of the country.
Apparently reacting to the decision of the PDP in the South-West on Saturday endorsing Jonathan's candidature, the former president said he was a grassroots politician who has no problem of acceptance across the country, including in the South-West.
"What is on ground suggests that I am more popular in the South-West because I have no problem with them, they are civilized and highly political people who will vote for ideas and not on tribal sentiments," he said.
When asked if he would leave the PDP to contest on a different platform in the event the ruling party denies him its ticket, the former president reiterated that he would exhaust all the party procedure first, and added that he was confident the party would not manipulate the process.
Also yesterday, Babangida accused former president Olusegun Obasanjo of watering down his earlier claim for neutrality by participating in the South-West PDP's endorsement of President Jonathan.
A statement by his spokesman Kassim Afegbua said Obasanjo, who is chairman of the PDP board of trustees, "has repeatedly said that he and other party chieftains would maintain their neutrality to all aspirants but would exercise their right to vote at the primaries for an aspirant of their choice. The recent reported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan who has not declared his intention to run defeats the earlier neutrality position of former President Olusegun Obasanjo on choice of aspirants.
"As one of the leaders of the party, a former president and elder statesman, we expect that his word should be his bond. We will not be drawn into any argument with those who easily suspect the political moves of former President Obasanjo, but we insist that a true leader should stand by his word."
Afegbua also said the endorsement by the South-West PDP "does not reflect the actual permutations on ground. The South West is no doubt a politically sophisticated and enlightened zone comprising distinguished Nigerians who are well familiar and at home with the political dynamics of the country. It is therefore unlikely that such distinguished, enlightened, civilized and politically conscious people would reportedly concede to the endorsement of an aspirant that has neither declared nor made public his intentions. We suspect that someone is trying to be smart by half."
He also dismissed reports speculating on how states would vote in the PDP presidential primaries, saying "it is too early in the day for anyone to declare the results of an election that has not been held let alone determine who holds the ace."
Afegbua said the reported claim that President Jonathan has 18 states backing him and IBB having 12 states "does not hold water. Those figures are not only disputable but unrealistic in view of the fact that most incumbent state governors, have not declared their position. It is therefore too early in the day for any political observer to draw conclusions on that basis particularly on a delegate election that is about to commence except that the public is being made to understand that the forthcoming elections, despite repeated assurances of credibility, would go the way of other previous elections. We believe very strongly that former president General Ibrahim Babangida remains a major contender thus far amongst those who have boldly declared their intentions under the platform of our dear party, the PDP."
Babangida last week raised his campaign team, headed by Chief Raymond Dokpesi and Senator Mahmud Kanti Bello. He also announced that he would make a formal declaration for the presidential race on September 14.
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The buffoon Babangida should instead of contesting an election be standing trial for corruption and crime against mankind and i hope and pray that that day will come and should he be found guilty which of course will be the case, rot for the rest of his miserable life in jail. Cool breeze goodluck!
BABANGIDA IS JUST AN EPITOME OF DISGRACE TO THE NATION , IBB SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT , HE CANT EAT HIS CAKE AND HAVE IT AGAIN.THE ERA OF RIGGING HAS ENDED SO WHO WILL VOTE FOR A CRIMINAL WITH NORTHERN AMBITIONS AND NOT THE NATION AMBITION.DIE IN HELL MR .IBB.
This man is really sick and the contempt he has for the people knows no bound. He want to hold Nigerian people spellbound as if we are the criminal, whereas he is indeed the criminal that have case to answer (ranging from murder, coupe plot, annulment of legitimate election, corruption, stealing etc). What we are failing to see as a people is that our collective love and worship of money in the society, is really trowing us out of our senses.This is what vagabonds and crooks like IBB kept capitalising on. How do you explain the foolish mind game being played by the most stupid presidential aspirant in the history of the nation, IBB. What was he thinking? Power will be arrogantly given to him on a platter? They say a fool at 40 is a fool forever. One at seventy his not so common. That means his foolishness has been way back, even while ruling for 8 years. Imagine someone who failed woefully in eight years of ruling now trying to convince Nigerians he cares and he can do it in one term. Another maradona statement to get to power at all cost and become a renegade and finish off his destruction. IBB you are not a nation builder you are rather a destroyer. What community development services, diplomatic or philanthropic services have you rendered to humanity as others like abubakar and OBJ have been rendering since you left power unceremoniously, you crooked man. The south East governor (are they any different?) fall for this cheap story of handing over to them in 2015. They are mistaken and myopic selfcentred opportunists like IBB himself. Did he hand over to them during his infamous steping aside debacle? How come they are fooling themselves and accepting IBB words hook line sinker at this time if it were not for selfish reasons? IBB must understand that he is the father of all illegalities in Nigeria and can only get to power by illegal means- as he has done in the past which, this time, will never happen or the consequences will be grave for the Nation.
IBB is nothing but a JOKE!!! This man stole and brought so much misery to Nigeria and have the gut to talk about going back to be the President. What an insult. Nigeria is not a stupid country, and will not fall for this IBB and others like him. Even if the Presidency belongs to a Northerner, IBB is definitely not the right one to be picked. I am not sure why the justice Dept. if there is one, will not arrest this man, prosecute him, recover the stolen money and put him away in prison where he belongs. This man has no business making all these noises about election?? We want unity in the country not this North and South entitlement. The young generation better rise and rescue themselves from IBB and others. 50 years of reckless leadership and stealing in Nigeria is enough...
We should all sympathise with this unlettered fool by name Babangida who gave this Country the biggest corrupt and murderous system of Government since Independence.Babangida, this Nation owes you or any of your Northern oligarchs nothing neither will Nigeria stop at a stand still without the Northern political leadership, for there is no single soul of the Hausa/Fulani race with oita of leadership back bone to lead.Now the North needs to step back untill Nigeria is ready to start looking for group of individuals who are good at looting,corruption,terrorism,stealing and parasitism[quota] then the bid will be posted for you to apply.As of now,real Nigerians are trying to take their Country back while at the same time also ,real and regular Nigerians are saying the Northerners ,you had your opportunity to service this Nation in many instances but you deliberately decided to introduce corruption,sharia laws,terrorism,looting, stealing,murder of those who opposed you like late Dele Giwa.Nigeria under the Northern rule was forced to adopt quota system where the Northerners were allocated the biggest portion of the Nation's oil wealth while the States where the oil explorations damaged their ecosystem were left to rott away with no adequate drinking water,schools or roads to mention but few.This Country will never go back to the darkages of the Northern -Hausa/Fulani terrorists oligarchs.Real and Original Nigerians are trying to repair the damage you shamelessly inflicted on this Nation and Her people and wish you would have the courage to leave Her a lone by being part of the solution and not part of the problem and accept the fact that the Northern rule in Nigeria is closing its books for good as we know it.No amount of military tanks on the streets of Nigeria this time will force the real and original people of this Nation to surrender.
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