Former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, has said that he would
support Igbo president in 2019. He, however, condemned Biafra
agitation, describing it as a distraction the nation doesn’t need at
this state of her life.
The former military ruler, who disclosed this in Minna in an interview
with some journalists, said: “We do not need this distraction now…”
but added that, “I will vote for an Igbo president in 2019, if I find
one.”
On his present relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari, who had
accused him of staging the 1985 coup to save General Aliyu Gusau and
himself, said all is well between him and President Buhari.
Babangida told a story of their 2006 encounter arranged by former Abia
governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, as proof that there is no love lost
between them; adding, “One thing you guys in the media want is for us
to be exchanging words with each other each time we see.”
He also spoke on June 12 and how he received the news of the death of
the winner of the election, Chief MKO Abiola, saying, he “was
shocked,” but without regret.
“Do you believe he (Abiola) died of natural causes?” I should know? I
didn’t serve the tea…”
He also spoke on the two “most traumatic” coups during his eight-year
regime , the Mamman Vatsa and Gideon Orkar coups, revealing, for the
first time, a meeting he had with Vatsa before his trial began.
The interview also covered Dele Giwa and the C130 Hercules plane crash
in Ejigbo, which left 150 military officers dead.