FORMER military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has challenged Nigerians, particularly his critics to prove that he is a thief.
The former military president recently made public his resolve to contest the 2011 presidential polls, following which allegation that he had explanations to make over the way he allegedly mismanaged the $12.4 billion Gulf War windfall came from some quarters against him.
Babangida, who had a chat with airport journalists at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport on Friday, said whoever had anything against him should be ready to prove it, saying he could not be distracted from pursuing his presidential ambition.
His words: “I am glad you said distractions. If you call me a thief and you can prove it, you know what to do, not to make noise about it, go ahead and prove it.”
The former military president, who remained unperturbed by the antics of his political detractors on his ambition to lead the country again come 2011, indicated strategies to win the forthcoming poll.
Babangida noted that he would employ the platforms, including the voting public and the political party under which platform he would be running.
He said he would fall on these options if he was unable to achieve his goal under the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
The former military leader, who agreed that he touched many lives in his eight years rule across the six geo-political zones, said this would be a requisite for winning the next year’s election.
He expressed his belief in using his experience to bring Nigerians across ethnic and religious divide together as one cohesive entity by delivering the dividend of democracy.
“I believe that it is true and I have the requisite experience to make it come true,” he reiterated.
Mixed reactions have continued to greet the plans by the former leader to gun for the number one seat in the country next year with his political enemies crying foul over the ambition while his loyalists across the nation have described him as the best candidate the country requires now.
In pursuit of his ambition, the former military leader has embarked on consultations across the country to sample opinions and strategise as elections draw nearer.
The General Overseer of the Evangelical Bible Outreach Prayer Ministry International, Prophet Isa El-Buba, has implored Nigerians not to bother themselves about the political aspiration of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, saying that the hand of God was not upon him and could never rule Nigeria again.
Speaking with newsmen in Jos, Prophet El-Buba said Babangida was simply dissipating his energy and resources in vain, adding that those whom God had not chosen could not force themselves on Nigerians, as leaders, otherwise they would incur the wrath of God.
The general overseer stated that all the hardship being experienced in the country currently started as a result of his bad style of leadership, induced by high level corruption.
Said he: “The pains of Nigerians originated from Babangida through his bad economic policies. He messed up the country and institutionalised corruption. If he cannot change the phase of the country as military president with such an enormous power, there is nothing he can do in this present situation.”
“The most important thing is that God has rejected him; the hand of God is not upon him as far as 2011 presidential election is concern. He is simply dissipating his energy and resources in vain,” he said.
Prophet El-Buba said the circumstances surrounding the emergence of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the acting president of Nigeria depicted that the hand of God was upon him and advised him to steer the affairs of the nation in line with the desire of the common people, adding that his commitment to pursue energy and electoral reforms was a welcome development.
According to him, his name would go down in history, if he can show full and total commitment to the sectors as one of the great leaders of Nigeria.
He added added that to achieve this, the acting president must shut his ears to those parading themselves as godfathers.
The clergyman condemned those clamouring for power to remain in the North, adding that the era where the North thought it could go it all alone as far as leadership of Nigeria was concern was over. He scaid what the nation needed now was a leader that could address the myriad of problems confronting the country.
“We the North should not think we have the monopoly of power, we cannot do it alone. It is high time we put aside the mentality that the vote of the North can make any candidate become the president of this great nation.
“All what we need as a nation is a good leader no matter where he comes from, a leader who can pursue the need of the common man,” he said.
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