IBB Not Qualified To Contest —Gabriel Ajayi 
Published on August 23, 2010 by TheNEWS · 34 Comments
Retired Colonel Gabriel Ajayi, a lawyer, who was tried, jailed (but later pardoned) for a phantom coup by the late General Sani Abacha regime, says General Ibrahim Babangida, having ruled the country as military president for eight years, is disqualified from contesting
• Plotting tactics: Babangida and first son, Mohammed. Photo: Ishaq Nata Ala.
“During the military regime, there was constitution. The military did not operate martial law in Nigeria. If you go back to the speech of General Ironsi on 16 January, 1966, he said ‘suspension of certain parts of the constitution’. He also talked about the suspension of the provision of the constitution of the federation of Nigeria, relating to the office of the President [and] the establishment of the office of the Prime Minister. And subsequent military heads-of-state always re-echoed the suspension of the constitution and modification, not abolition of the constitution.
“So if the constitution had been abolished, there would have been no court, we would have been ruled by military courts and tribunals. It means every other institution of government has to be re-enacted by decree. But the military regime was on, all the institutions of government established by the constitution were in place.
“During IBB’s period, the presidency was there, the judiciary was there, and what would have been the legislative arm was the Armed Forces Ruling Council. So all that happened were a little suspension, a little modification here and there and those people who wore uniforms were Nigerians and not from the terrestrial race. So you cannot say the period of their governance is not reckonable in Nigerian history. It was a particular time in Nigerian history that somebody was in power and therefore there can be no technicality about somebody being military and some being civilians. If Tinubu can spend eight years and you say he is now disqualified, is it because General Babangida wore uniform? Is he no longer a Nigerian? Again, if the tenure was not recognised, why should they put it in the constitution that they are members of the Council of State? Till today they hold meetings. So it is not necessary that somebody has to be there by election.
“Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was not voted in as President of Nigeria. The Constitution of 1963 says that it is assumed that President Nnamdi Azikiwe has been elected as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He did not go through the Electoral College which was the process put in the constitution at that time.
“So, the only condition I can say that IBB can take another eight years is for the National Assembly to pass a law to void the period of military rule and say it never existed in Nigeria. If you say he can still come into power, then what stops another General from picking the rifle and spending eight years and then coming around to say he is going for democracy? Let us be serious in this country. It is not right to bring technicalities into it.
“Right from General Ironsi to Sani Abacha, none of them in their speeches said they were abolishing the constitution.
“IBB operated like any other Nigerian, but what he did that we did not like was the annulment of the 12 June, 1993 presidential election. He was the military Head of State and the buck stopped at his table. So in the Army where you say the Commander is always right, for him to now turn round and say some people pressurised him, when it is assumed he was supposed to be right at all times, was very wrong. While he was there he did not perform better than any other leader the country has got.
“The 12 June struggle was what brought me down till today and IBB was solely responsible. Today, I am having diabetes, stomach and eye problems from the torture I received from the Abacha regime. If 12 June had not been annulled, I would not have this problem. Today, I am using my pension for medical solutions. I am completely down and naked because of 12 June, 1993. Many other people have died while some have been destroyed because of this case. That is the main albatross on his neck. I don’t believe he has the constitutional right to contest.
“If he becomes president, who would be his Abacha? Who would be his General Dogonyaro in the new system? Won’t he have those people around him again? We have to be sincere in this country.”
NIGERIA EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST BLOOD SHED DURNG YOUR PAST GOVERNMENT, DO YOU WANT TO COME AND SHED MORE NIGERIAN’S BLOOD? HAVE YOU FINISHED DRINKING THE BLOOD OF THOSE YOU SHED IN THE PAST? IBB YOU ARE NOT POPULAR AMONG NIGERIANS. THOSE PUSHING YOU JUST WANT TO GET THEIR OWN SHARE OF WHAT YOU STOLE FROM US. IF I WERE YOU, I WILL RATHER BURY MY HEAD IN SHAME RATHER THAN MAKING WORTHLESS ATTEMPT TO RULE THIS COUNTRY AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT DO BETTER THAN WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE PAST. OR MAY BE GOD WANT TO DESTROY YOU WHO KNOWS.
IT WAS BY LUCK I NARROWLY ESCAPE DEATH DURING JUNE 12 BUHAHA.WHAT IS IBB LOOKING FOR?IBB BROUGHT RELIGIOUS AND ECTNIC POLITICS.IF JUNE 12 WAS ALLOWED TO STAND,THERE WOULDN,T HAVE BEEN ANYTHING LIKE ZONING. CHRISTIANS AND MOSLEM,NORTH AND SOUTH VOTED FOR THE JOINT TICKET OF TWO MOSLEMS BECAUSE WE HAD FAITH IN THE CANDIDATES.JUNE 12 WAS NOT ONLY CANCELLED,BUT THE WINNER WAS WASTED.HUGE AMOUNT OF TAX PAYERS MONEY WAS WASTED.INNOCENT NIGERIANS BLOOD WERE WASTED.I THINK THIS MAN NEED TO BE TRIED FOR GENOCIDE.NOW THESE GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVE COME OUT AGAIN CHANTING ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS SONGS OF WAR.DO THEY WANT TO WASTE THE LIVES OF INNOCENT NIGERIANS AGAIN?ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
EVEN IF HE HAS RULED NIGERIA AS A MILITARY PRESIDENT,I STILL THINK THAT MORALLY IBB CAN’T RULE US AGIAN AFTER ALL THE ATROCITY HE COMMITED IN THIS COUNTRY IS ENOUGH TO DISQULIFY HIM
Haba, Let’s Be Fair to IBB.
By Raphael Duru 11
One of my experiences during my days as an infant that remains with me vividly till today was that of Biafran soldiers stripped naked and made to carry the luggage of Nigerian soldiers. It was in the early days of Biafra’s surrender. I was standing with my father in front of a primary school in Mbano, Imo State, where our family had taken refuge after Owerri was taken by the Federals. As kids of other refugees played in the football field of the primary school, behold we saw victorious Nigerian soldiers leading some Biafran war prisoners across the pot-hole filled main road that ran in front of the school.
“Why are they stripped naked”, I asked my father, pointing at the sad men who were being led like slaves by the victorious Nigerian soldiers, the only difference being that they were not tied together in chains like the slaves that made it to Europe and America during the Middle Passage.
“Son, we just lost a war”, my father replied solemnly. My father at the time of the war was a Zikist and just like Nnamdi Azikiwe, had hoped the conflict could be resolved amicably, and Nigerians united along the lines of federalism. However, from the grim look on his face, he never expected the barbarity he saw from the victorious Nigerian army. As it were, the previous night, Nigerian soldiers had invaded the village where we took refuge and taken any fine clothes and jewelry from the women, to take home to their wives, girlfriends, or mother as war booties.
Later, as I became literate and studied the Biafran conflict, I was to learn the Commander of the Nigerian Army’s Eastern Sector, at the time of Biafra’s surrender, and whose men committed such atrocities against Ibos, was General Olusegun Obasanjo. But why am I telling this story? For seventeen years running, the Yorubas have never stopped talking about an injustice done to them, due to the annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections, which the late Moshood Abiola was believed to be on the brink of winning. It is not as if other Nigerian tribes do not have a more pitiable story to lament, yet they have put everything behind them in the spirit of national reconciliation and moved on with life. When Obasanjo ran for the office of presidency, Ibos did not make life miserable for everyone with hoarse cries for what happened during the Civil War – which was a period of madness to hold only one man or tribe accountable. It was not even that the Yoruba, as an ethnic group, was targeted in the annulment of June 12. It was not as if only Yorubas voted for Abiola! The states Abiola won spread across regional lines. It was not as if the June 12 annulment was the only one the IBB regime annulled over breach of rules, ethics and standards the regime set while setting up the transition. From the governorship to the presidential, several people who came short of certain rules and standards set by the regime for the elections were shot down. Ask people like Hyde Onuaguluchi, Joe Nwodo, or the Mbaise man, Prof Nwosu (who ran for Governor in the old Imo State and later became Education Minister under Obasanjo) There are also the more famously known Yar’Adua and Adamu Ciroma’s candidacies cancelled.
To be fair to the IBB regime, the disqualifications and cancellations were not arbitrary as some people who have more access to the media will want us to believe. At the onset of the transition programme, the IBB regime had set clear rules and standards for the elections. As a result of Nigeria’s past ugly political life which was marred by ethnicity, money politics and violence, which led us to war, the regime had decreed only two political parties, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Congress (NRC) in order to move Nigerians from politics of ethnicity to that of issues. To ensure that new breed politicians drive the politics of issues, the regime also banned the old breed politicians of the First and Second Republics who marred our previous democratic attempts. This was to ensure that by the time the old breed politicians rejoined politics after four years, the new breed politicians would have gained great strength to resist their influence. Furthermore, the IBB regime made it clear that NO MONEY BAG WOULD SUCCEED IT.
It may be noted that the press and majority of Nigerians cheered the IBB regime when several people who flouted the rules and standards were disqualified, including ShehuYar’Adua and Adamu Ciroma. The National Concord, owned by late Abiola even wrote an editorial praising the IBB regime for the cancellation of the 1992 SDP and NRC primaries and subsequent disqualification of Yar’Adua and the Ciroma candidacies.
Unfortunately, Nigeria is a country where some people think they are above the law, or put in another way, special beings that could flout the law and get away with it. Till today, why Chief Abiola, a National Vice-Chairman of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic, who belonged to the category of banned old breed politicians (just like late C.C. Onoh who was NPN’s national Vice Chairman at the time) would enter the then presidential race is a mystery to many. He was also then Nigeria’s most famous money bag. Whether he was testing the will of the IBB regime because of his awesome media power, is left for anyone to conjecture, but had IBB not cancelled the elections, I wonder if an Abiola government would have survived a year just like Shonekan’s because, as a journalist writing then for the political section of a national magazine, The Nigerian Economist, I came across several Nigerians who were angry and accusing IBB of having disqualified others so he could make room to hand over to his personal friend Abiola – a man who was the most famous money bag in Nigeria at the time, and who the late afro-beat legend, Fela Anikulapo-kuti had labeled International Thief Thief (ITT) in one of his hit songs.
People were alleging then that IBB had many skeletons in his cupboard and that it was the reason why he wanted to hand over to his best friend, Abiola who will protect him. The case was made that the IBB regime had earlier made it clear that old breed politicians and money-bags would not succeed it, how then was Abiola different from the others he disqualified and banned. In many quarters, the call for a Sovereign National Conference to discuss Nigeria’s future, which would also elect an interim administration to conduct more credible elections, began to gather steam. Some anarchists among them even wanted the break-up of the country along regional lines during the so-called Sovereign National Conference.
From an analysis of events at the time, which may have been clearly perused by the government’s intelligence chiefs at the time, the unjust manner in which he emerged after others of his ilk were disqualified, as well as his relationship with IBB would have given an Abiola presidency great credibility problems just like Shonekan’s and provided an iron cast alibi for political revanchists to mar his government in their quest for their so-called Sovereign National Conference in which Nigeria’s unity could have been threatened. In fact the power of the opposition would have been fiercer than the pro-June 12 opposition. Forget that some of these people made a mind boggling u-turn when IBB annulled the elections to become pro-June 12 activists on the pages of newspapers. Not that personally (as you would discover in private talks with them) they wanted an Abiola presidency, rather they just felt the crisis offered a good opportunity to push the military away and realize their agenda.
For IBB, a great Nigerian patriot and pillar of unity in our post-civil war era who shares the same birthday with the legendary Marcus Garvey, I believe a certain section of the Nigerian media have not been fair to him for what transpired during his administration and the great service he has rendered to our fatherland. But like the great Zik would say, “History will vindicate the just”. That will be an era in which, if one is to paraphrase Martin Luther King Jnr’s words while accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, “when good judgment will not be obscured by the starless mid-night of racism”(in Nigeria’s case, “tribalism”)
Why not just allow IBB to be ruling you and your family and leave us alone .Very stupid man pretending to be intelligent here.Your are Muppet.
Duru ,why not just allow IBB to be ruling you and your family and leave us alone .Very stupid man pretending to be intelligent here.Your are Muppet.
I presume you are a good historian but you forgot to mention the role played by Banbangida during the war! Maybe he was sympathetic to the Igbo cause.In that case, you can make him president of your household and village. As for me ,my household and generality of Nigeria, good riddance to bad rubbish.Babangida spoke with glee about the gains of SAP in the FUTURE when he was in office.Now here is the future.Babangida alone with his croonies enmassed the gains through unbridled avarice and coruption. Shame.
Mr. R Duru, it is shame to read learned people like you trying to twist the truth against the line of clear social justice. As IBB share the same birthday with Marcus Garvey, am almost sure that you share the same kind of intelligence with the likes of Mobutu SeseSekou of Zaire who designed the lightest mass transist bus while in france but still single handedly destroyed his country through greed and absolute corruptionafter helping belgium to eliminate the great Patrice Emeri Lumumba. You can also be likeed to Kamuzu Banda of Malawi, a medical doctor who also impoverished his country via greed and totally irresponsible political leadership. Your likes are scarttered everywhere so we cannot not be deceived by your presumed mastery of history and literature combined. It is evident through your piece that you could not absolve IBB from being irresponsible and very corrupt. You know the truth but I guess you are trying to climb your way to the hilltop where some of your kind have gone to benefit from the slease of the dark era of Nigeria’s history. The wisdom nor intelligence of a thief does not change his ID as a thieve. He could only use those to operate more effectively than other thieves. Do we still need a thief to lead Nigeria after our experiences of the past? U and the rest of us know the ohnest answer.
I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY FOR NOW, YES I STILL MAINTAIN ON THAT BUT IF YOU FORCE ME, THEN I WILL VIVIDLY STRAIGHT OUT ONE THING OUT. IF IBB WANTS SOUTHERNERS TO VOTE FOR HIM, WE ONLY NEED ONE FAVOUR FROM HIM, HE (IBB) SHOULD COME ALONG WITH CHIEF M.K.O ABIOLA AND DELE GIWA DURING HIS CAMPAIGN TO THE SOUTH. IBB SHOULD KNOW THAT CHIEF M.K.O ABIOLA AND DELE GIWA OUGHT TO CAMPAIGN FOR HIS PRESIDENCY BUT FAILING TO DO SO THEN HE (IBB) SHOULD NOT EXPECT ANY VOTE FROM THE SOUTH.
IBB- IS NOT EDUCTATED- AND HE IS NOT INTELLIGENT AND WITH HIS LOW EDUCATION AND OLD AGE- NIGERIA WILL SUFFER AGAIN IN HIS HAND !
FOR THOSE POINTING OUT IBB SO CALLED LITTLE ACHIEVEMENTS DURING HIS LONG 8 YEARS OF HIS DICTATORSHIP AS A PRESIDENT- THAT SO LOW – A PERFORMANCE ! IN THE LAND OF THE BLIND ( NIGERIA)- ONE- EYED MAN WAS THE KING AND WANTS TO BE KING AGAIN (ARE NIGERIANS STILL BLIND?)
APRIORI NOTE: THE FIRST GRADUATE- EDUCATED PRESIDENT OF NAIGERIA NATION WAS YAR´ADUA- GRADUATE OF CHEMISTRY; THEN THANK GOD FOR THE NOW- OUR TOP HIGHLY EDUCATED AND HUMBLE PRESIDENT DR GOODLUCK JONATHAN!
FOR IBB IN HIS INGNORANCE YOUNG PEOPLE CANNOT (WILL NOT) RULE NIGERIA ONLY OLD AND UNEDUCATED OLD MEN LIKE HIMSELF !
So, Controversial and enigmatic Babangiga- Dictator and Idiamin of Nigeria!
According to Media Rights Bulletin, No 1 of June 11 1995, the regime of IBB “has the dubious distinction of having closed down or proscribed more newspapers and magazines than any other government in Nigeria’s history.” Some of those newspapers, it should be noted, were proscribed on two different occasions for daring to be critics who pointed at the right direction.
IBB corrupt Journalists in Nigeria – the Press even during his regimes, many years ago.
*IBB is Idiamin of Nigeria, architect and champion of corruption in the federation is a confused man, for him young people cannot and or will not rule Nigeria.
You have ruled the country for a good 8 years, give others a chance!
respect yourself and stop spoiling your image and that image of family and relations who bear that name Babangida- is a shame.
Before you reach your grave, before you see yourself in Jail, and or before you run- out to hide yourself in Exile; when will you start to correct and to give the your brith-nation Nigeria, a detailed written appology for odds against you.
No body lives forever and good name is better than silver and gold. Allah ye isah !
* IBB once said in 2007 that he now prepares himself for life as an old man in his word > (“…I am not getting younger. I am an old man”, he says) he should search his conscience more carefully.
On the question of June 12, Election, Billionas Naira of Oil money he stole, championing Corruption, the Killings of many, many innocent citizens, even Delegiwa, Ejigbo Army Groups of Soldiers, he owes Nigerians a long written apology, not excuses and more confusions to her citizens.
* For those from any corner outside and inside the country- PRAISING AND OVER PRAISING BABANGIDA FOR ANY UNTERIOR PURPOSES – THINK THOUGHT???- LET HIM- (IBB) GIVE YOUNG INTELLIGENT- PEOPLE A CHANCE- HIS TIME HAS EXPIRED ! AND NIGERIA SHOULD EXCELLENTLY OUGHT TO MOVE FOREWARD AFTER 50YEARS OF INDEPENDENT- BUT LET HIM- IBB IGNORANTLY AND ARROGANTLY CONTINUE TO FOOL HIMSELF ANY WAY- TODAY IS NOT YESTERDAY ! IBB- WILL NOT ESCAPE- JAIL- TERMS-EVEN OBASANJO ETC ETC TOO- LET THEM LEAVE NIGERIA IN PEACE !
I STAND TO BE CORRECTED- FROM 150 MILLIONS POPULATION-BUT MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE QUALIFIED TO RULE OUR COUNTRY NIGERIA BUT NOT IBB- OLD SOLDIER- OLD KAKI OF A THING– IBB IS NEARING 70YEARS & HIS POOR EDUCATION BACKGROUND?
NIGERIANS WAKE UP AND EMBRACE THE TRUTH AND GOOD LIFE !!!
GOD BLESS AND SAVE NIGERIA FROM ANY MEDIOCRE AND DOOM NOW AT OUR 50 YEARS AS A NATION !
IBB, I like you and respects you but if we come to Presidential election, honestly I hate you, I hate you not because of anything but just because you have nothing to deliver. When I say nothing I mean capital nothing to deliver, when you speak it shows from your words. Sometimes I wonder why zoning should be your headline always.
I wonder how Nigeria will survive when a few people who have access to the media wants to shove their individual choices to prevail over those of the majority. If IBB is not popular with many Nigerians, why is the opposition rattled and wasting so much energy and resources to demonize IBB? Why not let Nigerians make their choice through the ballot box in a free and fair election? The tragedy of Nigeria is that the journalists who cry out the loudest about the tragic situation in Nigeria are the worst culprits on why Nigeria has remained stagnant. They want free and fair elections but in their practice of journalism, they dont eschew fairness to all. They censor or distort information that will suit their ethnic or partisan interests. Over-all, they let their tribal or partisan interests cloud their reasonings and judgement. They always make references to America but are Nigerian journalists practising their profession like their counterparts in America without letting ethnicism influence their news reporting or analysis? They want the Nigeria police to be fair and a credible force. Likewise Nigeria Judges. But are the Journalists themselves living by good exaMPLE. SOME OF THEM USED TO TALK ABOUT NORTHERN DOMINATION OF THE MILITARY. NOW, I DARESAY THERE IS SOUTHWEST DOMINATION OF THE MEDIA INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA AND IT NEEDS TO BE REFORMED. ANY HONEST NIGERIAN CANNOT DENY THE GREAT SERVICE IBB HAS RENDERED TO THIS COUNTRY AND OF ALL THE PACK IN THE RING, ONLY HIM CAN RESCUE NIGERIA FROM THE MESS IT IS IN. WHAT HAS JONATHAN DONE SO FAR SINCE ASSUMING OFFICE. SINCE IBB LEFT, THE COUNTRY HAS NOT MADE PROGRESS WITH ALL THE MONEY IT HAS EARNED SO FAR. ISN’T IT A SHAME THAT SINCE IBB LEFT THEY CANNOT EVEN FIND PARTNERS FOR NITEL. IT IS STILL BEEN SUBSIDIZED BY GOVERNMENT!
IBB as Nigeria’s Best Leader and Best Prospect for 2011
By Raphael Duru 11
In response to those in the pro-Jonathan camp who have asked, “Why does IBB want to come back and what has he done to merit Nigerians voting for him”. The answer is this:
In every community, there are people who, if their village is overrun by robbers, will run away, or hide inside their house with family members and secure their gate. And if any of their children wants to go out to fight the robbers, the father will scream, “Sit down! You are a fool if you think you can save the world!” On the other hand, there are courageous men and women, who when their community is under siege by robbers, will go out to organize the youths to chase out the robbers. Their patriotism is greater than their self interest. Those are the likes of Chukwuma Nzeogwu, Mandela, Fajuyi, Babanginda and Marwa, to mention but a few. They do what is needed to be done at every epoch regardless of their safety. In the sporting world, they also include the likes of Roger Miller and Maradona who will not sit by in retirement and watch their country reduced to shame. Not when they still have the required talent and some energy left to sacrifice for their fatherland!
For anyone who has followed Nigeria’s evolution since the end of the civil war, the fact cannot be denied that Babanginda has risked his life more than any other Nigerian alive today to preserve Nigeria’s corporate existence and to move her forward. He fought in the civil war and after General Gowon refused to return the country to civil rule in 1974 as earlier promised, (and with no programme for the return of democracy in the foreseeable future) IBB was among a noble band of soldiers that helped ease the Gowon regime out and devised a blueprint under the leadership of Gen Muritala Mohammed for the return of Nigeria to democratic rule.
It is also on record that when a cabal in the military led by a Lt. Col. Dimka tried to abort that march to democracy through a bloody coup that claimed the life of Muritala and some others, it was IBB who almost single-handedly crushed that coup – while some of his so-called seniors in the army where in hiding! As a man who believed in rules and order, he even did not try to use the opportunity to seize power, as some people would have tried. He let his seniors who were in hiding come out (and even begged them) to take over power and complete the return of Nigeria to a full blown democracy.
Again, when the Shagari-led civilian regime which Obasanjo installed, nearly bankrupted the country through corruption and mindless spending, which saw Nigerians crying for a saviour, who again put his neck on the line to organize men and women to rid the country of the band of looters? The same man, IBB.
As a man who believed in rules and order, IBB once more did not covet the power gained but let his senior in the army, Gen Buhari to assume the mantle of leadership (indeed, this does not show a man who is “power hungry” as his critics will want us to believe!) Unfortunately, Buhari showed no understanding of how to run a modern government. Most especially, he and Idiagbon did not know how to pull the economy out of the chasm in which it had been sunk by the Shagari regime. They went instead into a bizarre dictatorship, jailing Nigerians at their own whim and caprice, including Journalists (with the obnoxious Decree No. 4) and human rights activists, which included the late Afro-beat legend, Fela Anikulapo-kuti. Once more, who slew the dragon for Nigerians when they were crying out? IBB.
The fact cannot be denied that when IBB took over, the country’s economy was in a state of coma. During the Buhari regime, Nigerians were even queuing to buy essential commodities like milk, detergents, bread, rice, beans, etc. Many women who were mothers during the Buhari regime can recall to you the ordeal they went through queuing in the hot sun to buy milk for their babies. However, within 3 weeks of assuming power, IBB wiped out the queues and returned Nigeria to normalcy, which earned him the respect of many. On the international scene, IBB captured the imagination of the world, from German leaders, to the King of Spain, to Britain’s Margaret Thatcher and the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth. In-fact, then British Prime Minister, Thatcher, called IBB “a man of interest”. IBB was one of the only three people in the world that Margaret Thatcher (who was known for correct prediction of world leaders in her time) ever called “men of interest”. The other two were former US President, Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev when he emerged as Kremlin’s boss. Thatcher’s prophecy on the two turned out right when Reagan led the US to defeat communism, brought down the Berlin Wall and turned the US economy from the brink of recession to surplus. On the other hand, Gorbachev helped the Soviet people to take off the gorilla of communism off their back that was stunting their growth and enabled the people to breathe the air of freedom once again through glasnost and perestroika.
While the Shagari and Buhari regimes believed in tightening the belts of Nigerians (through “Austerity Programmes”) to force consumption down to the country’s ability to supply, as their only response to the economic paralysis, IBB came up with a pragmatic progrmme to stir up the productive sector of the economy to increase Nigeria’s ability to supply. Dams and irrigations were constructed in many parts of the country to help farmers, loans and grants were also given to people to start poultry farms, shoe manufacturing, soap and detergent production, bread making (comprising wheat and corn) clothes manufacturing and other medium scale businesses, through the Peoples Banks, NEXIM, National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and Better Life for Rural women. All of a sudden Made-in-Aba and Onitsha goods began to dominate the West African sub-regional market and Central African countries of Chad, Cameroon and Gabon. The Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) which the regime put in place encouraged Nigerians to start looking inwards to develop their talents and skills for export. This also saw the export of Nigerian athletes and footballers like Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini and Daniel Amokachi, among others, abroad. The SAP policies of inward looking also helped the growth of the Nigerian movie industry and Nigerian fashion which now is a major competitor at the world stage, as people who made money abroad came back and invested in these fields and they were patronized at the early stage in the spirit of SAP. Marcus Garvey’s philosophy of BACK TO AFRICA was on the march in Nigeria. A realistic exchange rate for the Naira was put in place to encourage export, unlike the era of the Gowon to Buhari regimes, which had bizarrely sought to make the Naira equal to the dollar and was subsidizing imports for business men. This, in the past, had turned Nigeria into a dumping ground for Western goods.
At the high niche end of the economy, like telecommunications, oil and gas, media, aviation, among others, which requires huge capital outlays, IBB it was who summoned the political will to deregulate the economy and put it in the hands of the private sector. Foreigners were attracted to partner with Nigerians to develop these sectors under a mutually beneficial licensing regime. Now Nigerians enjoy 24 hour television with many different channels to choose from. A teenager in Nigeria today will not know that once upon a time in Nigeria, before IBB became our leader, immediately it is 12 midnight, all Nigerian stations, radio and TV, will play the national anthem and shut down to re-open the next morning. IBB, it was also, who summoned the political will to develope Nigeria’s gas sector and built the first LNG plants we have today. Before him, gas was flared in Nigeria by oil companies, causing environmental pollution in the Niger-Delta area. By deregulating the economy and privatizing comatose firms that were being subsidized by the government earlier, IBB saved the government billions of funds which are now channeled to the states and local councils to impact on the lives of people, while attracting foreign investments in Nigeria. Without IBB, the likes of Globacom, MTN, Arik Air, AIT, Silverbird Radio, among others will not be here now.
In the finance sector, IBB it was that started the first serious banking consolidation programs that successive regimes have followed, which has stabilized our financial markets. While other regimes would borrow money from abroad when starved of cash, IBB developed VAT, which after oil and Gas, is now the highest revenue earner for the Nigerian government. To those who ask what is IBB’s achievements, I want to remind them that he also effectively moved the capital to Abuja which for years had remained a sitting-duck project and built the world class infrastructures in Abuja, including the palatial Aso Rock that is now the envy of most people (and which President Jonathan and others who occupy it now do not want to leave, to respect PDP’s zoning policy) There is even a joke that the South-south started fighting for “resource control” after their youths visited Abuja and saw the jewels on the hill that IBB built. However, had IBB wasted the money voted for the development of Abuja like previous regimes before him, the South-south youths would have seen nothing to fight for. Shouldn’t IBB be praised for making sure that the money voted for the development of Abuja, the country’s capital, was effectively utilized? Should he have wasted it? Without moving the capital to Abuja at the time he did, I wonder how life in Lagos today would have been, with all the over-bloated Abuja politicians and their families – including their large convoys and sirens!! More-so, housing in Lagos would have been priced out of the reach of ordinary men!
Like the previous sitting-duck project that was Abuja, IBB furthermore completed the 3rd Mainland Bridge that was abandoned before him. For successive regimes, they have not even been able to complete a simple second Niger Bridge! Not even former President Obasanjo could finish a simple Lagos- Otta road for his community despite billions of Naira pumped in! In the military, IBB built the finest army in Africa that was used to liberate Liberia and Sierra Leone and keep the West African sub-region stable, and which was widely respected in the international community. If you don’t respect IBB’s genius in tackling the Liberian conundrum, ask the US what their experience in Iraq is. How IBB was able to free Liberians from the rebels without destroying the physical infrastructures in Liberia, has been a puzzle in the international community till today.
Now what is President Jonathan’s record? What IBB achieved in the six months of his regime, Jonathan has not done 10 percent in almost a year of being in charge. Some of his political jobbers will say one year is not enough but they should look at what Obama has accomplished in less than a year! At this stage of rot in Nigeria, we don’t need any leader who will first learn on the job. Jonathan should simply step aside for a while and learn from IBB and wait for 2015. He and some of his good men could still be accommodated in an IBB government. Then in 2015, he could be supported to govern for one term and hand over to an Ibo in 2019 to complete the South East ticket. President Jonathan should do this for the national interest to preserve the PDP zoning arrangement that has given Nigeria a measure of stability in recent years. If I was his brother or assistant, I would tell him this truth even at the risk of demonization and dismissal.
Back to those asking what IBB has done to merit Nigerians trusting him with power again, stating all the achievements and qualities of IBB will take a book space, which your medium does not have. Every generation is gifted with a transformational leader to give them a leap forward. In another country, IBB would have been given a chance to take the country to the Promised Land. Did Britons not allow Margaret Thatcher to rule for 15 years when they discovered she had the magic wand to transform their economy? In Nigeria Thatcher would have been shot down on the altar of tribalism. But for anarchists who used their selfish pursuit of power and June 12 (even when they would not be able to run a modern government) to cripple Nigeria in the last days of IBB’s regime, Nigeria would have by now become an economic tiger and a beacon for other African states. Thankfully IBB is still healthy. Let us put our differences aside to let him complete the transformation of Nigeria which he started, as he is (of all those in the ring now) the only one with the stubborn will, understanding, political temperament and charisma to pull Nigeria out from the brink.
For those who are academically challenged and who cannot make a decent intellectual debate point-for-point, but would rather resort to curses, threats and abuses – like a man who stammers will resort to violence (when he cannot get his words quickly out) please send your abusive words directly to my box at duradi2009@yahoo.com. I want us to keep abusive words off the pages of our newspapers. By Jove, let us keep our politics to issues rather than curses! As an IBB supporter, I want to stand by the brand of politics he wants to inculcate among us, Nigerians and for which he has paid so much for in sweat and tears. May God bless Nigeria. Amen.
Raphael Duru is a traitor , my analysis of his entry on this site is purely motivated.He does not speak for the Igbos; and neither does he speak for the past.He has interest and false believe that IBB or his Agents might read his words from for possible material recognition. Sorry, Raphael, it will be better for you to die like M.K.O so that those alive will tell a Tale with you justified as you sound hear.
Evil is evil no matter, who plotted it.We all know that Obasanjo was no good to the Igbo; but at the same time IBB was no better to Nigeria.As Igbo is an Entity within Nigeria, accept that these two men, wronged Nigeria and therefore should not be given chance to rule Nigeria in Future.Raphael Duru, by separating Igbo suffering from that of entire Nigeria, it proves you are tribal than all other Nigerian.
I promise you, a share in the disgrace that 2011 Election will bring upon IBB.
novelnigerian.com – proud your nation!
I have noticed that the cheapest blackmail in Nigeria against those who are brave to speak up the truth, especially where it concerns the brillant record of IBB, but which unfortunately some tribalists and illiterates in Nigeria are striving tirelessly to destroy, is to say someone has been bribed by IBB. Or simply put, looking for money. Just because of their single grudge over the outcome of June 12, 1993 elections (which they themselves polluted) they want to erase the impecable service of a man who remains the architect of Nigeria’s modern economy. Nigeria is where it is today because many people like to shy away from truth. It is a shame!
I honestly sympathise with that so called ibb supporter for his low selfesteem and lack of broad knoledge, imagine a learn writer in his capacity saying that ibb was good in the war with gun in his hand he should have tell us that ibb was a red cross in the war front helping the injured,Ibb a knowned drug pusher, why dont you do a good background check on him before you start disgracing yourself and carrier, ibb knows no boundry in achieving his aim, imagine what he did to his best man, manman vatsa, his suposed step son father by bongos ikwe. and if you are not a fool why dont you ask yourself how all the money he is spending to date came from,you are educated agreed how much does a president take home per month then compare that with his mansion and bogus donation, the previous prime minister of ireland is still paying his mortgage instead of you to help we readers with what you know best, you are here celebrating daylight robber and munderer, may God forgive you
Mr Duru or whatever you call yourself.
You just need to go home and sit down.
We don’t need people like you in this country.
From your name I assume you are Igbo.
U are the most foolish person I have ever seen from the South-East region
Am just trying to put you and the so called Nnamani on scale to see who is worse.
U guys are just some bunch of idiots……..
Raphel Duru, your head is running on fumes. Great historian! tell us what happened during IBB era. an intelligent man citing Thatcher as an authority in telling who is a great man. IBB man of interest.interest in looting.
You need to be caught by LASMA people and send for a Psychia test
I can see why the pro-Jonathan people can’t even put there names out for posterity to judge them. His supporters are an illiterate rabble – the type easily decieved by coterie half-baked journalists and politicians. They have nothing tangibly good to put out as Jonathan’s qaulities or records for Nigerians to vote for, whether as Governor of Bayelsa state or as Nigeria’s president so far. His Bayelsa state is in crisis, He does not command the charisma to stabilise his state.How then can he manage the volatile mini-continent called Nigeria if a crisis developes? Jonathan is a greenhorn when it comes to leadership. He first demonstrated this after the Super Eagles ouster in the last mundial in South Africa when he impulsively ordered the pullout of Nigeria from all international sporting competitions, rather than seek a pragmatic approach to build up our sportsmen for future competions. It was when he realised the danger from FIFA’s ban and future cost on our country that he was forced to reverse himself. But that was after embarrasing the country before the international community. His bland emotionalism would have prevented our young girls who recently won silver at the global female tourney some weeks after from competing! At this stage of our national rot, we do not need leaders who will first learn on the job. As an example of how IBB is in a bigger different class than Jonathan, I will use what IBB did when he was faced with the same kind of performance by the Super Eagles.
”. From the lessons of our soccer history, that Nigeria qualified for her first World Cup in 1994 in the USA and went on to win the year’s African Cup of Nations in Tunisia, plus a spectacular performance at the then World Cup tourney and an Olympic triumph in the United States later in 1996 was due to the meticulous organization and preparation of our boys under the Ibrahim Babangida administration.
It was the IBB administration that hired Clemens Westerhof as Eagles Coach and allowed him a reasonable gestation period to build a solid team that earned Nigeria those successes and to catapult Nigeria into the 4th position in FIFA’s world soccer rankings. Under IBB’s administration, policies were rightly tailored to recognize that time is essential in building and achieving anything great.
Retrospectively, under another head of government, Westerhof would have been fired before he finished building his team of 1994, as happened to the Eagles former indigenous coach Shaibu Amodu, or the French man, Philip Trousier in the run-up to the 1998 World Cup. To make sure that Westerhof was protected from untimely termination by rogue NFA and Sports Ministry lobbyists who have turned our sports to an industrial complex for self enrichment rather than youth development, IBB assigned supervisory functions over the Dutch national to Vice-President Augustus Aikhomu. Westerhof was also given a carte-blanche to choose his players without undue interference. Whether he found majority of his players only in the East or Edo State was his business.
Ridiculously, when the success of the Westerhof team is being discussed in Nigeria, the anti-IBB elements will want to shy away from giving credit to the great foresight and organization given to the Clemens Westerhof team by the IBB administration. A few only grudgingly give credit to Aikhomu while shunning IBB’s name. Rather than eulogize and tow the IBB example for good preparations in sports or nation building, there are those who (unfortunately having more access to the media) will prefer to rubbish his (IBB’s) good legacies and recreate their own warped ideas, and drum up misguided expectations among Nigerians.
It is not only in sports that we can see the difference between IBB and Jonathan. See how IBB was meticulous in planning the June 12, 1993 elections. Compare it to the way they are going about the 2011 elections, going for expensive electronic apliances they dont understand?Any Hope?
Duru, Your write up is superb, IBB has taken note. Please forward your full postal or residential address so that IBB could employ you to complement the services of Kassim Afegbua. Basatard! may all the calamities mentioned in all the Holy Books visit you and yr descendants forever and evr, aaaamen.
Duru, Your write up is superb, IBB has taken note. Please forward your full postal or residential address so that IBB could employ you to complement the services of Kassim Afegbua. Basatard! may all the calamities mentioned in all the Holy Books visit you and yr descendants forever and ever, aaaamen.
I am Legal Practitioner and also an Author of many Books (Book Writer). I have devoted my time for the past 13 years in making constant research in the public and private libraries, newspapers and magazines, internet, among others, while look for solutions for Nigeria’s economic, political and social problems. Indeed, I have finally gotten solutions to my nation’s (Nigeria) economic, political problems as contained in my books thus: THE FOUNDATION FOR A NEW UNITED NIGERIA,GUARDIANSHIP OF NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY, REVIVAL OF NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC POWER,JUNE 12, 1993 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, THE FOCUS OF A VISIONARY LEADER IN NIGERIA, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA.
President Ibrahim Babangida is the redeemer of Nigerian democracy. He should come back to power by 2011 as the President of Nigeria and continue his good work for Nigeria. The truth is that the circumstances surrounding the conduct and cancellation of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election can never destroy great achievements made by President Ibrahim Babangida’s regime.
The Highlight of General Ibrahim Babangida’s achievements while in office has proved that his regime witnessed a whirlwind of activities, and more policy initiatives and fiscal measures than all other past regimes in the country. Some of his achievements include:
The establishment of new Universities and Polytechnics.
The movement of Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja.
The reorganization of the Nigeria Police into seven Zonal Operation Areas.
The unemployment grant to States for agricultural programmes and vocational skills.
Establishment of Mass Mobilization for Self-Reliance Social Justice and Economic Recovery (MAMSER).
A 46-member Panel to review the 1979 Constitution.
The creation of Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Abia, Anambra, Delta, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Osun, Yobe and Taraba States and over 136 new Local Government Areas with take off grants.
Direct funding of Local Government Areas from the Federal Government to make them autonomous.
National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA).
National Orientation Agency (NOA) formerly known as the ‘‘Mass Mobilization for Self-Reliance Social Justice and Economic Recovery’’ (MAMSER).
National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
Federal Environment Protection Agency (FEPA).
Lagos Third Mainland Bridge.
Federal Urban Mass Transit programme.
The 1991 National Population Census (NPC).
National Women Commission.
The Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DIFRRI).
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
National Housing Fund.
Commission of the Onne Fertilizer Plant in Rivers State.
The 260 million dollars Petrol Chemical Plant in Kaduna.
Establishment of four (4) bodies in one day National Population Commission,
National Revenue Mobilization Commission, Code of Conduct Bureau and Code of Conduct Tribunal.
NNPC Escravos- Lagos Gas Pipeline at Egbin,
National Electoral Commission (NPC).
Elesa Eleme Refinery in River State.
Children Trust Fund.
Resumed diplomatic relations with Israel
Central Bank Autonomy Decree,
Others were: NAFDAC; Ecomog; Reduction of import duties on newsprint, etc.
In fact, the list of achievements made by President Ibrahim Babangida’s regime is endless
RAPHAEL DURU HOW MUCH DID U RECEIVED FROM IBB ?YOU ARE A MODERN DAY JUDAS.
K. Agunbiade. If you may know, I am covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and your curses have been redirected to you. But I have forgiven you and pray that you should be forgiven by Heaven too. I, however, hope you will repent of your wickedness of heart and learn to respect other people’s viewpoint, even when you don’t share them. Let us have a decent dialogue in our polity, buddy. That is the only way to build an enduring democracy and that is one of the things I see people in the IBB movement trying to help enthrone. We can help them realise that noble objective and develope our society, or shut our mouths and stop complaining about the decline of Nigeria. May God bless you and your family
Duru, the problem with your type is that your are not a person that can be trusted. You writings shows your are an apologist and narrow minded homo-sapien who has a grudge with the yorubas and Jonathan. You analysis shows you can never be fair as you do not have the intelligence of someone that can do a fair analysis. I saw a lot of your types in 1993 be/4 the election and you were thoroughly shame with the resounding success of Abiola. You type would equally fail this time around!
Gambong, I don’t know the context in which you say I am an apologist but if it is on my last posting in which I forgave Agunbiade so he will not perish and to help him become more rational, so he will be able to see the light, you all got it wrong. Like IBB, I have a large heart and do not wish anyone, even those who attack me, evil. I believe final judgement belongs to God and Time will vindicate the just.
As for your insinuation that I might have a grudge against the Yorubas, you are just trying to be mischevious. I see that there are always people who will want to bring something toxic into the dialectics of a national discourse. The only reason I am clearing your garbage is because we live in a cyber media world. In all my views expressed, I have not attacked the Yorubas as a group.Or does June 12 belong to the Yoruba alone? And if you may want to know I have Yoruba blood cousins who I grew up with, who I am very fond of and who also are very fond of me. My mother’s younger sister married a Yoruba. I schooled at Ibadan and spent my years as a journalist in Lagos. Most of my friends are Yoruba, many of who share my view but cannot express them publicly as I do for fear of demonisation due to the reign of terror by a cabal of Lagos journalists. I gather many politicians in the South-west are living under that fear too. I have no reason whatsoever to have any grudge against any tribe as I and my family have lived in various parts of Nigeria. That is why I can express my view on any issue that is in the interest of Nigeria without fear or favour because I only see one country.
As for President Jonathan, I have no personal grudge against him. My only argument is that he is not yet ready to be President as he lacks social and political skills to lead Africa’s biggest demcracies. This is why he is currently turning to oppressive tactis to cow the opposition,as his standing with ordinary Nigerians plummets daily in super-sonic speed like the glacial ice of Antartica, due to his inept leadership style. I believe a man like IBB will take us to great heights. .
Duru,
Do you have to write these entire long epistles to sell a bad market?
IBB has ruled before, he can not do it again. We have more than 150 million Nigerians. OBJ did it twice; to me that was a mistake. There are other intelligent people. NO BODY WILL BE PRESIDENT TWICE IN NIGERIA AGAIN.
Sometimes Johnny it needs a very long epistle to open the eyes of the blind. Didn’t it take Peter and Paul to write long epistles before many Gentiles could see and embrace the light? Consciousness is not something that comes to everyone at the same time.The first person that discovered that mankind can fly in the air had to labour hard to convince others that it is possible and of great benefit to society. So,like the man in Plato’s Cave, it is the duty of those who know something that can benefit their society to try and open the people’s eyes to see the light.
Again, if IBB, of all the lot jostling for the presidency today, is the only one capable of providing answers to the myriad of problems confronting us, why do we have to deny him the crown simply because he has ruled before? When you go to battle on anything, you pick your best. Should Brazil, for instance, had denied the great Pele of Brazil a third appearance at the World Cup which he won simply because he had appeared at the World Cup finals previously? Or Cameroun on Roger Milla, Or Argentina, as regards Maradona. Even the great Winston Churchill came back to rule Britain after previously leaving office. So what’s your point?
pls nigeria;s duru is a big fool
IBB is a bad case. He is an illiterate, undemocratic – against Shagari/Nigerian, He could not take care of my sister Maryam – took her to local clinic in india to die of cervic cancer, paved way for idiot like Abacha to terrorise Nigerians, betrayede Buhari, killed the NAIRA, unknown to UN, UK, USA,EUROPE, SAUDI ARABIA,ISRAEL, Nigerians hate him. Nigerian youths do not know him. He is a security risk.
DURU MUST BE A DRUNKER BECAUSE HE MAKE NO SENSE IN ALL THAT HE IS SAYING, ARE YOU AND IBB TRYING TO GAMBLE WITH US AGAIN?
DURU MUST BE A MAD MAN THAT HAS ENTERED MARKET BEFORE BECAUSE I AM SEEING HIM AS A MAD PERSON HERE IN HIS STATEMENT
well it is good to let those men that thought that Nigeria is their fathers property to know that this country is bigger than any person or group of persons,it is a new era in this country,we the masses needs to stand up and say know No to those evil men,that think their buy this country with their money,our votes must counts now,or we march to the street to let them that u can not fool the people all the time,we are wiser now.
XZIDsg wmuqdujudner, [url=http://vpbienvpopjh.com/]vpbienvpopjh[/url], [link=http://zclrukmboesm.com/]zclrukmboesm[/link], http://uaqhngsusvux.com/