2011 - Babangida Spreads Tentacles, Ready to Face Jonathan
Clifford Ndujihe
10 July 2010

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Self styled former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, rtd, is determined to contest the 2011 presidential polls. And unlike what happened in 2007 when he threw in the towel, at the last minute, he is ready to go the whole hog this time, his supporters have said.

IBB's best chance

According to them, 2011 might be Babangida's last chance of returning to Aso Rock, giving his age. He was born on August 17, 1941. So in 2011, he will be 70. If he fails to run in 2011, he might be too old for the contest in 2015 when he will be 74.

Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, rtd

Babangida's finest chance to go for plum job is now, said Chief Chuba Egolum, Director-General/Chairman, IBB 2011 Presidential Campaign Ndigbo Lagos chapter.

The politician said the Minna-born general had made up his mind on the contest. "If a man of his status says he is running, it will be irresponsible and foolhardy for anyone to say otherwise because he came out on his own volition without prompting from anybody."

Egolum continued: "This (2011) is his best chance and optimum time to come out and have history.

Why he quit in 2007

He quit the race in 2007 saying that he could not contest against late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, whom he considered as a younger brother. However, his close aides told Saturday Vanguard that IBB, as he is also known, dropped the ambition to avoid confronting former President

"IBB stopped running in 2007 because what we had was a clear case of a dictator in the name of democracy. Obasanjo used all state machinery to coerce whomever dared to try his ego or power. Obasanjo arrested Babangida's son. He declared the 2007 election a do-or-die affair. IBB is not a do-or-die person. So, as a gentleman, he looked for a way to soft-pedal to avoid bloodshed. He has loyalists that can fight for him all over the country but he does not believe in the do-or-die approach," said Mazi Vitalis Okemadu, one of his supporters.

Push for Aso Rock

To realise his ambition, Babangida has embarked on intense consultations with stakeholders. His foot soldiers have fanned out, mobilising the grassroots. They have also flooded some of the major cities with his posters. An avalanche of groups backing him, have also emerged.

Jostle for PDP ticket

However, much will depend on how the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP hierarchy hammer out the issue of zoning. Going by the party's unwritten but current zoning arrangement, the presidency is zoned to the North. It is on account of this that President Goodluck Jonathan is in power following the demise of President Yar'Adua, he deputised for.

Now, the PDP seems to be in a dilemma over zoning with a section of the party asking Jonathan to run in 2011 and another section saying otherwise. Series of meetings to iron out the issue in recent times have not yielded dividends. If the party hands Jonathan its presidential ticket, then the prevailing zoning arrangement will be aborted.

IBB's plan B

And if Jonathan gets the ticket, sources said Babangida might opt for an opposition platform, a coalition of opposition political parties, with his running mate coming from the South_East or South_South geo_political zone.

The retired general is also reaching out to the Southwest. He specifically wants to win the heart of the 'core' West. Of recent, Babangida has been stressing the need to restructure the polity and ensure true federalism, which are cardinal viewpoints of the Southwest.

Mixed reactions trail Babangida's ambition

Babangida's aspiration has won supporters and opponents, in almost equal measure, across the country. Those opposing IBB said he should be shut out for annulling the freest and fairest election ever held in the country - the June 12, 1993 presidential polls won by late politician, Chief MKO Abiola.

Other issues against IBB, according to them, include squandering N40 billion on the Third Republic transition programme and inability to account for the $12.5 billion Gulf war oil windfall among others. His opponents, mainly prodemocracy activists have held press conferences and rallies to abort his ambition.

However, Babangida is not without supporters. One of the numerous groups backing him is the Association of Patriotic Nigerians, APN.

Leaders of the group recently addressed the press in Lagos, to drum support for IBB.

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APN National Chairman, Mr. Vitalis Okemadu, urged the electorate not to shut out any aspirant from the 2011 polls. He canvassed that competence and ability to deliver should form the basis for the election of the next president and not necessarily zoning.

He enumerated Babangida's achievements while in power and stated that the former leader ought to be given a second chance.

On June 12 election, he said Babangida had accepted he made mistakes and had been making efforts to correct them since 1999 when he contributed to the emergence of Obasanjo as president. And on the $12.5 billion Gulf war windfall, Okemadu said the government knew that the money was not missing otherwise they would have gone after Babangida.

Although the 2011 election is a couple of months away, it is still early to tell where the pendulum would swing. Whether or not Babangida will realise his ambition is a question of time.

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