2011: IBB Penetrates S’West, Woos Adedibu ‘Boys’
From Tunde Sanni in Ibadan, 07.05.2010

The opposition of the South West to the presidential ambition of former military leader, Ibrahim Babangida seemed to have softened in Ibadan at the weekend as his presidential campaign train formally berthed in the Oyo State capital.


The campaign team is however led by members of the kitchen cabinet of the deceased strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, which included his wife, Bose and Hazeem Gbolarunmi.Gbolarumi on the occasion declared that Yoruba people were ready to support the presidential bid of Babangida, who annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election believed to have been won by Basorun M.K.O. Abiola.


The Adedibu aide pointed out that the time has come for the Yoruba race to reciprocate the support accorded Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who is a Yorubaman by the entire North throughout his eight year term as the nation's President by fully supporting a Northerner especially a known hand like Babangida.


In a veiled reference to the opposition against the Babangida presidential project, especially from some political groups in the South West, Gbolarumi who is the Campaign Coordinator for the state, described the critics of the presidential ambition of the erstwhile military strongman as enemies of Nigeria.


“Nigeria belongs to every one of us and democracy is about participation. Those who consider IBB not suitable as President should present themselves to Nigerians and allow the electorates to make their choice. Without mincing words, Nigeria at this particular period needs a leader like General Babangida for the nation to move forward, adding, “Nigerians at this time should look beyond the ordinary in the choice of our next President,'' he said.

Gbolarumi emphasised that the Yoruba people are presently seeing above the campaign of calumny against the person of Babangida by some of his detractors but are determined towards sustaining the nation's unity by pitching their tent with a credible candidate from the Northern part of the country particularly a tested and trusted hand like General Babangida.


The IBB Campaign coordinator said, “the project for which we all gathered here from al the nooks and crannies of the pacesetter state is the IBB 2011 project. We in the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Oyo State have seen the qualities embedded in the man and we wholly identified with him in his quest to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, come 2011.

In chat with newsmen later, Gbolarumi dismissed speculations that the state governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala would force a particular presidential candidate on the members of the ruling PDP in the state.

“Has Akala told you he is working for Goodluck Jonathan? I' m sure Akala will not force anyone to support a particular presidential aspirant, rather, he will allow everyone to choose who to support and at the end, as you know, we are one family, we will sit down to disagree and to agree''.

The former Deputy-Governor said, ''we here present believe in IBB and see his quest to be president in 2011 as a collective aspiration. We are out to fulfill this goal through unalloyed and total commitment to the ideals of this ambition'', recalling that though, so much had been said about the man IBB and his leadership credentials, but noted that most of these are fallacies and a creation of a class of elite bent on denying Nigerians of quality leadership''.

These southern ''traitors'' of Ibadan sef
Amala and obe ila politics

Mr Fire dont be fooled, those guys know how to do the "fooling" politics by telling him what he wants to hear. when election time comes they will all vote for someone else after getting his damn money

such a big shame.i wonder how he was able to stand the crowd.if this was in the southeast,i wonder what will be said of igbos.the truth is that if jonathan decides to run,no coalition that wants peace in nigeria can stop him.

This Ibadan Amala politics has not die with adedibu, shame on this people cos the MARADONA himself will just use them and dump them, am sure if VULTURE (ADEDIBU) himself is alive he will do thesame thing,

Let the useless ibb come to lagos or ogun state if he thinks he can woo the south west.

As a typical Ibadan man, I know very well that we are highly unpredictable. but the truth of the matter is that anybody that will walk on the path of integrity will not align for any reason whatsover with this man, Come to think of this, How can Gbolarumi be his campaign manager when there are alot of elites in Ibadan? the fact is that Babangida felt he can easily penetrate him other than others, though Gbolarumi is a former deputy Governor, but do not forget he is the first school certificate holder that was selected to be Oyo state deputy when Adedibu was alive, I stand bold to say it that IBB project is a failure (Though I stand to be corrected)