Sources close to former military dictator, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, say he was jolted by what one of them described as “a total failure” of his book launch in Abuja yesterday. “He’s close to reconsidering his planned presidential run after the woeful failure of his book launch,” said one of the sources, an old ally of the retired general who expressed skepticism about Mr. Babangida’s electoral prospects. Babangida, who has hired a retinue of hack writers to produce books aimed at revising the history of his despicable role in ruining Nigeria, was shocked that most of the invited guests at the book launch were nowhere to be found. “The general has invested a lot of money to create a small industry of writers to help in shining up his image, so he was absolutely disappointed that his former dependable friends abandoned the book launching,” according to one of the sources.

Saharareporters learnt that, on arriving at the venue of yesterday’s book launch and finding out that his most important guests were absent, a distraught Babangida ordered his aides to place telephone calls to some of the expected guests in Abuja. The aides told each person they contacted that the “general would love to say hello to them at the venue of the book launch,” said an inside source in the general’s campaign. “Yet, the calls did not save the day as many of the people we contacted – including people the general helped a lot in the past – made various excuses for not coming.”

Despite the calls, the book launch was marred by poor attendance.

Mr. Babangida was so depressed that he met with some of his closest associates after the book launch and asked whether he should quit the presidential race. One of our sources said, however, that the aides who spoke up encouraged the ex-general to stay the course. “I was not surprised by their advice,” added the source, “after all, their livelihood depends on his running for office.” The source said several aides told Babangida that it was “President” Goodluck Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo who asked many would-be guests to stay away. They promised Babangida that they would counter the strategy of those working against his campaign and ensure that his next outing would be better planned and attended.

Yesterday’s event was the second time within a month that Babangida would be shunned at a public event. A few weeks ago, a team led by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka boycotted a scam rally for Babangida organized in Benin City, the Edo State capital, by Governor Adams Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole had deceptively tagged the event “One Man, One Vote,” but secretly invited Babangida to the event without telling other invited guests. On learning that the widely despised general was going to make an appearance, Soyinka and his team hurriedly left Benin, leaving Oshiomhole to deal with other activists who publicly disgraced Babangida at the event.

Rattled by the depth of outrage at his appearance, Babangida passed over the opportunity to speak, claiming that he had leg pains. But a source close to the disgraced Oshiomhole said that the governor and Babangida had made the decision that the latter should not speak “in order to spare him boos and jeers.”

Babangida’s widely unpopularity campaign faces serious reversals as well as mounting public derision.

A source at the US embassy in Abuja told Saharareporters that the Barack Obama administration “was troubled by insinuations that Washington supports General Babangida’s candidacy, or had anything to do with his decision to run.” The source said the US was aware of perceptions in certain quarters – some of it orchestrated by Babangida – that the former general has Obama’s blessing as the candidate that would hold a fractious Nigeria together. “I can tell you that the US government is not interested in any one candidate, only in the credibility of the electoral process,” said the source.

Babangida’s political woes have arisen as well from his legacy as one of Nigeria’s most corrupt public officials as well as numerous verbal gaffes in recent times. He drew widespread public ire after telling a BBC interviewer that the Nigerian youth lacked the ability to lead the country. He also exposed himself to ridicule when he stated recently that he annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election, won by Mr. MKO Abiola, because some of his subordinates in the army had threatened to kill him if he handed over to the winner.

Nigerians, both young and old, blame Babangida for setting the foundation for many of the country’s current political and economic crises. Whilst his political and economic policies deepened poverty in Nigeria, he raked in an ill-acquired fortune estimated at billions of dollars. He lives in a 50-room mansion built for him by German construction giant, Julius Berger, atop the hills of Minna. He owns private jets as well as several Rolls Royces. Babangida, whose wife, Miriam, died last December, is believed to have stolen or mismanaged over $12 billion from Nigeria’s public treasury between 1985 and 1993.

Our sources also said Babangida has been losing sleep over a statement by the Jonathan government that it was studying the Pius Okigbo report on the questionable disbursement of Nigeria’s oil windfall revenues as a result of the First Gulf war in 1990. The Okigbo report concluded that the former general spent a bulk of the revenue outside of established budgetary protocols. The Jonathan administration has stated that it would consider formal prosecution of the former dictator over the Gulf War windfall that he squandered and stashed abroad, particularly in France, Lebanon, Germany and parts of Eastern Europe.

http://www.saharareporters.com/real-news/sr-headlines/6130-babangida-depressed-reconsiders-presidential-run-after-failed-book-launch.html

Very gud one dear.

Very gud one dear.

karma's a bitch eh?

Hopefully he'll do most nigerians a favour and turn suicidal or better still develop a terminal disease!

2 of the last 3 northern presidents died on sit Abacha  and Yaradua.is this not a sign that they should leave the post alone?

the aides who spoke up encouraged the ex-general to stay the course

They will goad him to complete failure, let him continue to listen to them.

Personally, I prefer that he goes the whole hog so that his final humiliation will be complete and total

Another fake report by Sahara Reporters. . . . . Yoruba journalism at its best.

If this is true,i will be damn happy.

Babangida is not fit to rule Nigeria,he has no reputation whatsoever.he shouid rather sit tight and ask God to forgive him for the myriads of attrocities he has commited against the people of nigeria . jungle don mature, Nigerians are not fools.

That is politics,always check your back to see wheather they are still with you,This man destroyed the educational system,devalued lives and the nigerian currency,This man is not fit and was meant to be in prison for the 10th time.It was during is time Nigeria,s middle class started collecting visas to go and live in other places.Many Nigerians have died of untimely death because of the policies of this man.

He would soon be more depressed in Prison. But I hope Saharareporters are not getting over excited. I want to believe this report. It would be a dream come true for that to happen to the greatest looted Nigeria has ever had. Yes, you heard me, a greater looter than Abacha and Ibori.

Fake report or not, babangida just needs to crawl under some rock somewhere and die!

There I said it!

Even dead Nigerian are beginning to appear in dreams to their love ones to warn against IBB . . My grandfather told me NO to IBB in my sleep i thought i was the only one until i heard of another lady whose mother appeared to her in the dream to warn her about IBB . .

I honestly want IBB to run and get rejected at the polls by Nigerians.

This myth about IBB will simply come to an end by now.

Anybody who loves this man will be advising him to prepare a way for his ron to contest LGA elections in Niger State instead of wasting his time in the name of Presidency.

If he chooses to go the whole hug, it is his wish and we will meet him at the polls.

Babangida should just stay out , and step aside forever

How pitiful? I hope that Babangida's downfall will be a warning to many of our current leaders who are acquiring wealth like there is no tomorrow.

How are the self assured mighty falling?

whatever the case lets move Nigeria forward. The time is now.

Lol I wish I can join his campaign and fleece him well well. By the time he seew how much he wasted in a fruitless Presidential bid he will just hang himself.

Why can't this IBB of a person read the handwriting on the wall and save himself from this shame that is about to befall him. Personally, I ll' rather chew my card than vote for him.

This is nothing but a fake report.

IBB knew from day 1 that the road to Aso Rock wasn't going to be an easy one. But the soldier is more than ready to tackle "head on" whatever enemies throw at him.
This is the beginning, there are many to come, but at the end of the day the crown will be presented to the king.

Just cast your vote and allow the great people of Nigeria to elect their next president.

I will not be surprised if he wins the election, I pray Nigerians dont allow that to happen.

IBB should be familiar with the saying, that the day your troops stop coming to you to tell their problems, know that your leadership has failed. IBB should please withdraw behind the scene. It is finished!

Depressed? He has not seen anything yet. We are praying hard to Almighty God to punish all those who loot our money overseas calling themselves our leaders.

FYI:The percentage of Nigerians that hate IBB isn't much and the percentage of Nigerians that continue to attack IBB via internet is less than .2%. Do not fool yourselves, the majority of Nigerians that will cast their votes for IBB do not have internet access and can careless what you bloggers have to say.

As soon as IBB picks up his ticket, it will be over.
There is no doubt on my mind that IBB is going to be our next president; Nigeria and Nigerians deserve it.

FYI: IBB was a bit down on Saturday because his wife wasn't there to share the incredible occasion with him. Don't be a fool, IBB was never depressed; he's very active, focused, and looking forward to start his presidential campaign.

Big B1:

FYI: IBB was a bit down on Saturday because his wife wasn't there to share the incredible occasion with him. Don't be a fool, IBB was never depressed; he's very active, focused, and looking forward to start his presidential campaign.

Incredible Occasion indeed.

SMH

How some pple can come out openly and support ibb's presdiadential campaign is beyond me, is it blind stupidity?

Coz i really cannot think of any other reason

Big B1:

FYI:The percentage of Nigerians that hate IBB isn't much and the percentage of Nigerians that continue to attack IBB via internet is less than .2%. Do not fool yourselves, the majority of Nigerians that will cast their votes for IBB do not have internet access and can careless what you bloggers have to say.

As soon as IBB picks up his ticket, it will be over.
There is no doubt on my mind that IBB is going to be our next president; Nigeria and Nigerians deserve it.

My guy , IBB is a very big coward, he will NEVER  contest with this kind off opposition. The man fear pass anything, na some soldier boyz dey give am liver those days.

Now coming to your support for him. I think it is a very smart move. Get some money from him while you can. You will need this kind of "intelligent" move to get out of AJ city. E no easy.

@BigB1 you are such a lunatic to think IBB the toothless general your dad will ever rule Nigeria again. The man has been a failure for over a decade and still continues to be a failure.

Last Year my dad who is not known in comparison to IBB launched a book and generated over 60 million naira. IBB on the other hand invested over 100 million on this pathetic book and raised less than 20 million. Now you do the math and tell me the return on investment is something to be optimistic about.

Nigerians and even the trees are united to see the toothless father of your go to jail at all means. It’s just a matter of time before we give him brown jumps to fit

metal-gong:

Another fake report by Sahara Reporters. . . . . Yoruba journalism at its best.

Sahara has developed some credibility especially for its investigative journalism.
And why should we take your opinion seriously when you are even a shameless tribalist in the year 2010?