IBB endorses Ribadu for President


By Sunny Igboanugo (Lagos), Chinwendu Nnadozie (Minna), Terna Doki (Makurdi) and Oladele Ogunsola (Ibadan)

Former military President, Ibrahim Babangida, on Sunday endorsed Nuhu Ribadu for President, saying Nigeria needs generational change.
But Ribadu, a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), was received at Babangida’s Hilltop Mansion without ACN leader, Bola Tinubu.
Babangida told journalists that because of the generation Ribadu belongs to, it is fair to support him take over the reigns of power, a view he said other Nigerians will understand and respect.
He recalled that, “Somebody asked me recently who my candidate is and I said that we who belong to this generation will like to see young people, in whose hands the future of this country lies, to take over the affairs of Nigeria.”
He explained that he supports generational change, “which Nuhu Ribadu and Fola Adeola stand for,” and he has strong faith in them and believes they can deliver.
Asked if he has endorsed the candidature of Ribadu, Babangida who had wanted to run for President himself under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said: “For generational change, yes."
He referred to everyone on Ribadus’ entourage as his friends, and said he gave them lunch as a sign of acceptance and friendship between him and the ACN family.
“I am close to them, it is only fair that since they are in Minna they decided to visit me personally. I have respect for him (Ribadu).”
Ribadu and his team also visited the Emir of Minna, Umar Bahago, after which they addressed a rally at the city’s polo ground.   
He told the rally that the ACN stands for the change  Nigerians have yearned for in the 12 years of misrule by the PDP administration.
“The change has come and your party, our party, the ACN, is the party to vote for. We are set to provide this much needed change and take the country to higher grounds,” he said.
In his own case, President Goodluck Jonathan is not leaving anything to chance despite  assurances by his camp that he will win the election by a wide margin.
He has set up 15 committees to scan all parts of the country and firm up agreements that will give his opponents no room for manoeuvre.
Presidential Assistant on Documentation, Research and Strategy, Oronto  Douglas, told reporters in Abuja on Sunday that Jonathan cannot afford to be complacent, because doing so will be costly.
He said the committees will dialogue with every stakeholder, to engage with everybody, and “part of this would be  to hold town hall meetings. There are some zones where we have not  done as much as we would want to do, and those zones will receive more attention.
We still have two solid weeks to do this. So, there is time, especially when we  want to win this election in a free, fair, and transparent manner that will leave  no one in doubt.”
But on a sad political note, one person was killed and several others were injured on Sunday in a violence that broke out in Makurdi between supporters of the PDP and the ACN.
The  Makurdi-Otukpo-Enugu Highway was blocked, forcing motorists travelling down South  to make a  detour through Naka to link Otukpo.
Some residents fled for safety, as police engaged the party thugs in combat to bring the situation under control.
The violence started with the alleged disappearance on Friday of a final year student of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Moses Orngu, who caricatures Governor Gabriel Suswam in cartoons.
ACN supporters believe that Orngu may have been kidnapped by PDP agents.
They  blocked the highway, made burn fires, and demanded the release of Orngu, an action which degenerated into the clash with PDP supporters.
Some weeks ago, David Inornem, the Director General  of Steve Ugbah  Campaign Organisation, told a press conference, that  a Tiv bard,  Barnabas Aganyi, who composes  scathing campaign songs for the ACN, was missing.
Inornem said the ACN also suspected that Aganyi was kidnapped by PDP agents.
Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Mohammed, could not be reached on the telephone for comment. His lines were switched off.
However, the South West zone of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) reiterated at the weekend that violence remains the only obstacle to the success of the polls next month.
It expressed fear that the huge funds sunk into the preparations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties may go down the drain, and urged those concerned to address the matter quickly.
A statement signed by CAN President Joseph Akinfenwa stressed that Nigeria cannot afford to mess up in the ballot because it represents a milestone in its history’.
“We join forces with well-meaning Nigerians to highlight the danger of electoral violence at this point in our national history and to call on all stakeholders, especially our politicians, to esteem national interest above narrow, parochial one, and join hands to ensure peaceful, free, and fair elections in April,” he pleaded.
Akinfenwa asked all leaders of political parties to denounce violence and to mandate their followers to desist from it.
“In other words, we ask our politicians to make a covenant with the Nigerian people that they will not instigate or condone violence of any kind; but rather discourage it even in the face of provocation.”
He also implored the security agencies to detect, contain, and control violent conduct and to be impartial in providing security for all.
Akinfenwa said the failure of state security leads to private security arrangements which in turn lead to abuse of force.
He stressed that the maintenance of peace and decorum throughout the election period will help ensure a free and fair vote.
He sought a credible and truly representative election, facilitated by the massive participation of citizens who will join hands with the government to leave no stone unturned.

Abagworo:

I wonder why people fail to understand IBB.He belongs to GEJ's camp just like Atiku and OBJ.They are looking for ways to divide Buhari's Northern vote and it will not work.

I wonder where in the South Buhari has not penetrated when majority of Southerners on Nairaland are now on his side.

KnowAll:

I believe in a true free and fair election, Team BB would trounce ACN in the Presidential Elections in Lagos State. The Momentum in Lagos is gathering storm, and it would surprise a lot of people when the coalition of pentecostal voters unleash their mules, it would be a reminiscent of one those every Friday revivals in Messrs Adeboye's Life camp.

ACN would however clear the other elections , Governor,Assembly men both state and federal.

PapaBrowne:

Where did you get that thinking from Pentecostal voters are Buhari's number one problem in the south west!! Bakare made the biggest mistake 2 years ago when he came on the press and lambasted Adeboye, Kumuyi and Oyedepo. Most pentecostal Christians I've talked to are of the opinion that Bakare is a traitor and is against the church!!

Team BB's only hope in Lagos is the Hausa community. Sadly, majority of them didn't register to vote for fear of arrest as they are not Nigerians- they come from Chad, Niger, Mali, etc!!

sbeezy8:

what do you mean Pentecostal voters? what of Catholics. Anglicans and Ifa orisha worshippers?

Pastor Adeboye told me to run with Buhari

FIERY Lagos State-based cleric and Vice- Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Pastor Babatunde “Sindiku” Bakare yesterday disclosed that he secured the approval of one of his spiritual fathers, the respected Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, before throwing his hat into the political ring.

Pastor Bakare also gave indications that he was not convinced of the anti-corruption credentials of one of his former allies, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who is the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN).

Bakare, the Serving Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly (LRA), told a group of journalists that he would “open up” on Ribadu sometime soon.

Recently, incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), visited Pastor Adeboye’s camp on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and received the blessings of the General Overseer of the fast-growing Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), in a much-publicised photograph showing the president kneeling for prayers before the Man of God.

But Bakare, who at various times was a prominent cleric of Pastor William Kumuyi’s Deeper Christian Life Assembly and the RCCG, before founding the LRA, disclosed that Adeboye encouraged him to run with Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

The fiery cleric, who said that he was reluctant to run for political office, explained that he was ambushed by prominent people, including Pastor Adeboye, after Gen. Buhari had made overtures to him to be running mate.

He spoke in Lagos yesterday while explaining his vision and mission for Nigerians to a group of journalists.

The CPC Vice Presidential candidate said that when he first told Pastor Adeboye of Buhari’s offer during a telephone call, the reaction he got was favourable.

His words “Pastor Adeboye surprised me. I thought he would say ‘no way!’ He asked who among the lot I thought could rescue Nigeria and I told him Gen.Muhammadu Buhari. I noted that Buhari he has no money and no network to come to the South, coupled with other things they had hung on his neck. Pastor Adeboye said, ‘if you are ever considering Gen. Buhari, then you need a strong Christian to be his running mate.’ But when I called Pastor Adeboye back, he said since you did not lobby for this thing, it is an opportunity for you to express the burden you carry for this nation, go forward. And I asked: ‘Sir, will you support me?’ And he said, ‘with everything I got in my own way. Just go for it, I will be praying.”

9ijaMan:

A good move from the evil genius. All I need to do is to say thank you to IBB, for clearing the air for us all.
IBB is GEJ's adopted father and now an endorser of Ribadu. SUrely Ribadu stands to loose more than he'll ever gain from an IBB endorsement.