Former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has decried much concentration of power at the centre urging that power should be decentralized to the federated units. Speaking in Abuja at the Leadership Independence Conference organized by the Leadership Newspaper on Nigeria at 50, Babangida said, there was the need to devolve more powers to the states and the local governments.

“The Federal Government is holding a lot of responsibilities and you can go down and make sure that you elect a president who would have time to go and play golf, tennis or watch soccer because the federating units are very strong. They can survive on their own. So, all you need is to provide leadership at the highest level and the federal government may be only talking about defence, foreign policy, economy et cetera. I see that happening in the next 50 years.”

Continuing, Babangida said, we knew the problem of the country and we should lay a proper foundation for a new Nigeria. “I think the question we should ask ourselves should be: How do we feel? A lot of us will not be 50 yet but then, the foundation stone must be laid down as from October 1, 2010.

“And from everything we have said, I found out that we can now go back and say we want to build a truly Federal Nigeria in concept and in practice. The operative units should be allowed to grow at their own pace; at their own time and allow them to control their own resources within their own states. In other words, through the federal and regional. I think the time to start building is now,” Babangida stated.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant further said we should start laying foundation for a private-driven economy. “I also believe that we should lay now, the foundation for a private-sector-driven economy not the commanding height of the economy being dominated by government.




http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/sept/30/national-30-09-2010-015.htm

really?na lie we must stay like this

gogo123:

really?na lie we must stay like this

Seconded. We dont want change. He should first give back his unexplainable wealth the government before coming to advice us.

cgift:

Seconded. We dont want change. He should first give back his unexplainable wealth the government before coming to advice us.

We Really need to decentralise power, but NOT FROM A sonofa like him!!!

opabukun:

We Really need to decentralise power, but NOT FROM A sonofa like him!!!

Agree with you. That guy is a naturally gifted hypocrite. Why did he not do it when he had all the powers ? Cowards like him. What i just see is that he has lost the battle in his mind. This statement confirms it.

IBB is know discovering himself may be h sud be motivational speaker and not Nigeria leader yeye man y dis ideal no dey ur head wen u were der.
Barawo bansa

This is the peak of hypocritical-deception.
#
he is scheming for mass sympathy. He is playing a game of ''give a baby some candy so as to collect the knife in his hand''.
#
why didn't he do it as a general.
ole jaguda olori olosha.

Who is IBB speaking to, or advicing? Seems he is going mental.

His point we all know is what the nation need, our National assembly will do it for us not IBB FOOLISH MAN,i can't wait to see when every state will control their state resources,in that case all nigerian abandoned natural resources will come back to life.

Keep all these your recently discovered Good ideas to yourself IBB. You could not use them in your about 8 years of rule. Is it now you want to use them in just 4 years?. Better go to bed an sleep. We dont need you.  If you have really just discovered them give it to whoever is there let him see wether it is praticable.

But for you, don't try claiming relevance you are not. You cant play US again.

Idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT IBB IS SAYING IS REALLY CORRECT, SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE PASSED ON TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT PROBLEMS WITH OUR ECONOMY, POWER, UNEMPLOYMENT etc, THIS IS WHY WE NEED PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE WHO CAN CHANGE THE WAY WE GO ABOUT GOVERNANCE. UP IBB 2011

Heheheee!!!!

The north also cry.

This is its first time and its beginning.

Imagine this coming from a northerner,

I told us here before, they are afraid of corrections, they have been enjoying the imbalance in our polity and they were fully aware they were living in dominion over the south.

Now they are afraid and are preaching our "presumed" gospel.

@Care-Taker:

Don't mind the IDIOT,we shall dominate them as they did to us and enjoy their girls as they enjoy ours during their time in power

@ topic,

Dear Mr. IBB your proposition is as obvious as one plus one equalling two! The problem is your cronies never geti moni like u have amassed so dem no go gree. But you IBB don't need to be president to enforce this change, after all it is in the hands of you and your select few padi-mis who continue to plunder our wealth without any considerate thought for the wellbeing of your nation. When a man sees the end of his life he'd want to know there had been some purpose to it. IBB don reach that point and all reflection he sees from the mirror are purposeless and meaningless, imagine when all ya moni no fit save ya wife life . Imagine being wished dead by millions unseen, being cursed by mouths uncountable, then picture Mandela, the Madiba of africa, imagine what his end will be like, imagine his passing, he'd seen his purpose fulfilled, can we say the same of IBB, other pdp charlatans?  The first step to true remorse is to endeavour to give back what wasn't yours that you took, start from there IBB and who knows in the remaining years that you've got aggrieved people of Nigeria may just hand you that purpose that you badly seek.

Echidime:

@Care-Taker:

Don't mind the ,we shall dominate them as they did to us and enjoy their girls as they enjoy ours during their time in power

We are not like that, we are not like them, we will balance power and forgive their past.

All we are asking is for their co-operation as their agitation will confuse and ruin them to utter destruction.

the same clown who hurridly concentrated power at abuja is screaming decentralization.

yaba left might have a celebrity patient very soon or IBB is auditioning for last comic standing.

This guy sure have some smart advisers on his payroll.

Hyok, Hyok, Hyok, Hyok. I continue to laff in WAZOBIA.

This guy's relevance is nearing an end and he knows it!!

Oloshi, Agba a ya, Ole!

he should have done that when he had the 8yrs tenure. for now we dont want him, because when he gets there he will definately sing a new song.

Vavavoom:

@ topic,

Dear Mr. IBB your proposition is as obvious as one plus one equalling two! The problem is your cronies never geti moni like u have amassed so dem no go gree. But you IBB don't need to be president to enforce this change, after all it is in the hands of you and your select few padi-mis who continue to plunder our wealth without any considerate thought for the wellbeing of your nation. When a man sees the end of his life he'd want to know there had been some purpose to it. IBB don reach that point and all reflection he sees from the mirror are purposeless and meaningless, imagine when all ya moni no fit save ya wife life . Imagine being wished dead by millions unseen, being cursed by mouths uncountable, then picture Mandela, the Madiba of africa, imagine what his end will be like, imagine his passing, he'd seen his purpose fulfilled, can we say the same of IBB, other pdp charlatans?  The first step to true remorse is to endeavour to give back what wasn't yours that you took, start from there IBB and who knows in the remaining years that you've got aggrieved people of Nigeria may just hand you that purpose that you badly seek.

Hmmmm, Word!!!

vicknesh:

WHAT IBB IS SAYING IS REALLY CORRECT, SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE PASSED ON TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT PROBLEMS WITH OUR ECONOMY, POWER, UNEMPLOYMENT etc, THIS IS WHY WE NEED PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE WHO CAN CHANGE THE WAY WE GO ABOUT GOVERNANCE. UP IBB 2011

Some foolish people keeps on being foolish.
when the fool IBB was in power, he kills generals who he feels could challenge him.
He centralized the power to his family and for the first time in Nigerian history made his wife "First Lady"
Why should this same but expired maggot be crying foul now?
That same centralized power he used to oppress nigerians for 8 years is the same power he wants decentralized.
Ok, He want part of it to be shared with him. Old Cargo should quickly go to the grave.
Stupid man. But his followers like vicknesh are the "stupider and the stupidest" .

Olaolufred:

Some foolish people keeps on being foolish.
when the fool IBB was in power, he kills generals who he feels could challenge him.
He centralized the power to his family and for the first time in Nigerian history made his wife "First Lady"
Why should this same but expired maggot be crying foul now?
That same centralized power he used to oppress nigerians for 8 years is the same power he wants decentralized.
Ok, He want part of it to be shared with him. Old Cargo should quickly go to the grave.
silly man. But his followers like vicknesh are the "stupider and the stupidest" .

r u seriousss??, for crying out loud, lets put cenitments asideee, even if this man has ben a waste in Nigeria. The things he say make sense, some 1 hu preaches true fedralism nd decentralising the government is not to be taken for granted, dats d only way this nigeria can work, the federal government has too many burden on its shoulders dat it ordinarily shouldnt bother it self about. Lets Nigerians begin to think without attaching emotions or centiments to very crucial issues

nd pls which country doesnt have a frist ladyy?

If power is decentralized it will be OK. That is if and only if its done in the proper way with no sentiments. The irony of this is that the idea is coming from a rogue like IBB. His idea is not bad anyway.

Na wayo be this oooo!!!!!

yeswecan:

This guy sure have some smart advisers on his payroll.

CLEVER U mean? that explain his name evil GENIUS

i hate to admit >>>> but i have to >>> i agree with IBB (a.k.a The Evil genius) on this one

IBB is correct on this one. Lets put behind the past. There is no one here on nairanland who does not have an ugly past. But the issue now is lets put the past behind us, and IBB is surely a past that we must NOT put behind, but we MUST DESTROY.

He made good points, resource control, the benefits are too enormous, but its consequencies could as well cause REGIONAL degeneration.

If we say lets all states control their resources, our economy will grow exponentially no doubt, but what happens when some part of a state start crying for neglect??/

LOOL this man never still give up? keep dreaming baba ton gida

No doubt the ¨common criminal¨is correct on this one but IBB you should have done that when you were in power.Thanks for your opinion but that won´t change our minds towards you

What IBB said make sense. We must change the way have been going things if we want change in the country. Unfortunately, our past leaders lack the courage to do this due to their poverty mentality. Had IBB done this while in power, he could have been a hero today. His comments is simply the reflection of a dying man who has suddenly realise the purpose of life. IBB it is too late no thanks. We shall get there without you.

Mr. IBB we don't need your advise. I don't know why the people who control our government, especially the judicial branch have no desire to arrest you and put in jail for all the harm you did to our great nation.