Date Published: 05/02/10

Babangida will never be president – Abiola family

The criticism trailing the planned presidential ambition of former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babaginda, swelled on Saturday as the family members of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the late Chief MKO Abiola, roundly condemned the move.

Babaginda, who ruled the country from 1985 to 1993, the family said, was not reliable and thus could not be trusted.

The deputy head of the family and younger brother of the late business mogul, Muritala, made the assertion on behalf of the Abiolas in an exclusive interview with SUNDAY PUNCH.

He also spoke on the debt the Federal Government owed his brother, the deceased’s relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, among other issues in the polity.

Babaginda, the former military president, Muritala insisted, was the least of persons that should ever be allowed to rule the country again.

He said, “By God‘s grace, Babangida will not be president again. He has nothing to offer Nigerians. If he has any advice, he should sell it to the people in government.”

Babaginda has declared his intention to contest the 2011 presidential poll on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, a move that has elicited heated criticisms among many interest groups and public commentators.

The former dictator was the head of the junta that annulled the June 12, 1993 election believed to have been won by Abiola.

Muritala explained that it would be wrong for Babangida, whom he described as an antagonist of democracy, to reap where he did not sow, adding that “Babangida does not deserve to be voted as president.”

According to him, Babaginda‘s renewed bid for the presidency was a calculated attempt to frustrate the true essence of the nation‘s democracy.

He said, “It will be very unfortunate and that will mean that Nigeria is still very backward. If we have our way we will prosecute Babangida.

“There are facts and figures to frustrate IBB‘s ambition of becoming president. Some people say they only want to take his money. There is no need to take his money. Let him know that he is a bad man. He is not acceptable.

”Again, we are not ready to have anything to do with any government that will not have the people‘s feelings and who will not immortalise MKO.

“But if Nigerians so desire that Babangida should come again so be it. But the country will have to bear the consequences of the mistake. We, as a family, are still grappling with the consequence of our brother‘s death.”

He added, ”Even our ancestor will not pray for a Babangida’s presidency. MKO was a symbol of unity. He was accepted by all; Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

“He was made the Yoruba generalissimo, Aare Ona Kakanfo. Akintola, who was the Aare Ona Kakanfo was killed by government, just as MKO was killed.”

Reacting to calls by some groups that the former dictator should apologise to Nigerians on the annulment, Muritala insisted that it was too late.

Adding that the call was a gimmick sponsored by Babangida, Muritala said, “We are saying that we cannot take Babangida’s plea and that Nigeria should not have anything to do with him. We can forgive him if need be but we cannot support his presidency.”

Muritala, who described the annulment and killing of his elder brother as the height of betrayal, recalled that the businessman was a close ally of Babaginda and many other army generals.

Muritala said, “Babangida, former president Olusegun Obasanjo and the military caucus supported MKO initially. The problem began with the question of who becomes the vice-president.

“The army caucus wanted former president of Nigeria Labour Congress, Pascal Bafyau to be vice-president, while the party leaders preferred Babagana Kingibe. MKO‘s hands were tied because as the party‘s flagbearer he could not object to their decision to drop Bafyau.”

He explained further that the decision caused disaffection between his brother and the top military echelon even as it strained the relationship between MKO and Obasanjo.

He debunked the allegation that some members of the Abiola family were romancing the ruling PDP and Babangida.

Muritala said, “I am just hearing this. If I knew this we would have called a meeting. We are trying to make the whole world know today that apart from what comes from the authentic Abiola family any other thing is false.”