Former
military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida yesterday said any 2015 presidential
candidate would have to receive his blessings before emerging president of the
country.
military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida yesterday said any 2015 presidential
candidate would have to receive his blessings before emerging president of the
country.
Gen. Babangida also explained how former President Olusegun
Obasanjo was installed in 1999 as president, saying he was the best candidate
at the time to fix the nation.
Obasanjo was installed in 1999 as president, saying he was the best candidate
at the time to fix the nation.
Babangida, featuring on ‘Guest of the Week’ on Liberty Radio
(91.7), Kaduna said, he was the founding father of Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, and he would never disown the party.
(91.7), Kaduna said, he was the founding father of Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, and he would never disown the party.
He further commended the emergence of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, pointing out that the merger was good for the polity and the
unity of the country.
Congress, APC, pointing out that the merger was good for the polity and the
unity of the country.
His words: “I will belong to those who will choose a credible
candidate, a candidate that can lead this country. It is not difficult to find.
Out of one hundred and seventy million people, there must be a candidate, that
is what the constitution provides. If the party is silly and chooses the wrong
candidate, the ordinary person is not silly. He knows ‘this man cannot lead
me’, so he won’t vote for him. If you choose a wrong candidate, he stands the
chance of losing.”
candidate, a candidate that can lead this country. It is not difficult to find.
Out of one hundred and seventy million people, there must be a candidate, that
is what the constitution provides. If the party is silly and chooses the wrong
candidate, the ordinary person is not silly. He knows ‘this man cannot lead
me’, so he won’t vote for him. If you choose a wrong candidate, he stands the
chance of losing.”
“The emergence of Obasanjo came about as a result of what
happened in the country. The country was in a very serious crises and we had to
find the solution to these problems. Therefore, we needed a leader, that leader
who is known in the country. We did not believe in foisting somebody who is not
known, so we looked for a man who had been involved in the affairs of this
country, who held position either in the military or in the cabinet who had
certain beliefs about Nigeria.
happened in the country. The country was in a very serious crises and we had to
find the solution to these problems. Therefore, we needed a leader, that leader
who is known in the country. We did not believe in foisting somebody who is not
known, so we looked for a man who had been involved in the affairs of this
country, who held position either in the military or in the cabinet who had
certain beliefs about Nigeria.
All of us that were trained in the armed forces, there is one
belief that you cannot take away from us; we believe in this country because
this is part of our training. We fought for this country, so when you have a
situation like hast, you need a leader that has all these attributes, and quite
frankly, he quickly came to mind, Babangida explained.”
belief that you cannot take away from us; we believe in this country because
this is part of our training. We fought for this country, so when you have a
situation like hast, you need a leader that has all these attributes, and quite
frankly, he quickly came to mind, Babangida explained.”
The former military president maintained: “If Buhari and
Jonathan become candidates, both of them will have to sell their ideas to us,
the ordinary people, we (the voters) and they have not done that. I have enough
time to think and I am thinking and they will be anxious to come and see me.
They will visit me or any other person. This is what I intend to do. We are
talking about a new and emergent scenario, so I will wait and see.”
Jonathan become candidates, both of them will have to sell their ideas to us,
the ordinary people, we (the voters) and they have not done that. I have enough
time to think and I am thinking and they will be anxious to come and see me.
They will visit me or any other person. This is what I intend to do. We are
talking about a new and emergent scenario, so I will wait and see.”
