There is a groundswell of opposition in the
making against the presidential ambition of
former head of state, Gen. Ibrahim
Babangida.
Apart from indications that some elements
within the Peoples Democratic Party on the
platform of which the former military
dictator plans to actualise his dream, are
gearing up to oppose his bid, members of
the civil society have been strategising to
halt the plan.
Speculations had been rife that Babangida,
who ruled the country from August 27 1985
to August 26, 1993, was making a spirited
comeback bid as a full civilian president.
The former military president had ended the
speculations when he told journalists last
Friday in Benin that he was indeed planning
for the 2011 presidential election.
Sources told our correspondent on Monday
that some civil society organisations are
already upbeat in their plans to oppose
Babangida through rallies and other forms of
protests.
Social networking media such as the
facebook is now awash with calls for the
rejection of Babangida as a presidential
aspirant.
A United Kingdom-based Nigerian who is the
Executive Director of the Africans Unite
Against Child Abuse, Mrs. Debbie Ariyo, has
created the “Nigerians say no to Ibrahim
Babangida as president” on the facebook.
Speaking with our correspondent from
London on Monday, Ariyo said she could not
imagine that Babangida, who she accused of
plunging Nigeria into the crisis that led her to
leave the country would still be in power
again almost 20 years after.
“I founded AFRUCA here in the UK. And we
are planning to establish AFRUCA in Nigeria. I
cannot imagine a situation where the same
man who was the head of state of my
country almost 20 years ago will still be in
the saddle. This is even aside the corruption
which he promoted, ” Ariyo said.
She said plans were underway to organise
protests against Babangida as a way of
calling the attention of the international
community to his presidential ambition.
Respondents across the globe have listed
various reasons on the online group why the
former military president should not be
allowed to contest.
Prominent among the reasons why
Babangida should be stopped include the
annulment of the June 12 presidential
election won by late Chief MKO Abiola; alleged
institutionalisation of corruption during his
eight year reign and repression of
opposition leaders.
The Afenifere Renewal Group, through its
National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka
Odumakin, said Babangida ’s ambition
amounted to a sacrilege.
The group stated, “It is the worst sacrilege
since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914.
He must have taken us to be less than human
beings to ever nurse the idea of running for
the presidency of Nigeria after ruining it for
eight years. The criminal annulment of June
12 by him threw the country into a
monumental crisis it has not recovered from
economically, politically and socially.
“His eight years witnessed
institutionalisation of corruption and many
high profile assassinations like that of Dele
Giwa. All our institutions and values became
corroded under his evil grip. If he gets on the
ballot for the next elections, it would be the
final statement that Nigeria is finished. ”
A former senator, Chief Femi Okunrounmu,
said Babangida must have taken Nigerians as
fools to ever contemplate coming back to
power.
He said, “It is the greatest insult to Nigerians!
What does he take us for, fools? Could we
have forgotten so soon his annulment of
June 12 1993 election victory of Abiola, the
subsequent terror inflicted on the country by
his comrade in treachery, Abacha?
“Could we forget so soon his popularisation
of shameless, unbridled and unsanctioned
corruption, the impact of which triggered the
complete collapse of values in, and the
ruination of our country? Can we so soon
forget Dele Giwa? I think the press should
join the people to stop him in his tracks. ”
http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201004133135026

Not that it is a big deal, but I'll love to see the faces of this opposition.

Even Obama has opposition that works day and night against everything Obama wants to accomplish in the next 4 yrs.

A presidential candidate that has no opposition has no chance to win the trophy.

IBB is a goon.

Based on popular will he will not win, if the elections are fair, he has no chance.

Big B1:

Not that it is a big deal, but I'll love to see the faces of this opposition.

Even Obama has opposition that works day and night against everything Obama wants to accomplish in the next 4 yrs.

A presidential candidate that has no opposition has no chance to win the trophy.

its not about opposition but acceptability.ibb has credibilty problem and that cant be ruled out.nigerians are tired of managing leaders.we want true democrats