Facing insurmountable odds, General Ibrahim Babangida has withdrawn his presidential ambition on the platform of the PDP, offering lame excuses when it was apparent he was facing total defeat at the PDP convention this weekend. It is believed the dictator is, however, still in the race.
Babangida, rationalizing his declining political fortunes, wrote to President Olusegun Obasanjo that he has elected to withdraw from the PDP’s nomination process in deference to another presidential aspirant and Katsina State governor, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua.
He said he was faced with "a moral dilemma" when Yar’Adua who he described as "my younger brother," given his (Babangida’s) close relationship with the Yar’Adua family, as well as former National Security Adviser(NSA) Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, entered the presidential race..
However, Babangida’s Chief of Staff and former military administration of Plateau State Col. Habibu Shuaibu(rtd) has disclosed that his boss quit because the Presidency and the PDP had since settled for Yar’Adua as candidate.
Tribune however reports that it was the decision of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the screening of its presidential aspirants that caused the crash of IBB's political dream.
The ex-general is reported to have considered the utterances of some leading members of the president’s economic team, including the recent statement credited to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, in leaving the PDP and its presidential race.
Nigerian Tribune was told that strategists within the general’s camp believed that there was a grand plan to humiliate their principal by subjecting him to the prying eyes of the EFCC.
The commission’s chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, had earlier slammed the former military leader, vowing that President Olusegun Obasanjo would not hand over to General Babangida.
Feelers from the general’s camp showed that the plan was not only to humiliate him through the screening process, but also to ensure his disqualification from the presidential race.
The prospect of disqualification is considered by the inner caucus of the general as a way of further blocking his (IBB’s) chances of running for the presidency in another party.
“We never believed in the PDP as a platform. So, this is a tactical withdrawal, but we are still in the race for the presidency”, a source within the Babangida campaign organisation said.
Further investigations showed that the original action of the general by joining the PDP race was only meant to satisfy President Obasanjo as the party for the actualisation of his aspiration was already confirmed.
It was learnt that the general has his eyes on the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), the National Democratic Party (NDP) and the United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP) though DPP is said to be the real fall back position.
Feelers from the IBB camp showed that the general was to emerge as a candidate of a political party without passing through any party primaries and without facing the humiliation of being screened by his surbordinates in the army and without facing the EFCC.
Other reports, however, indicated that Babangida might even bow out of the presidential race since his running on the ticket of another party may imply a challenge of presidential and federal machinery.
Informed sources close to Babangida told the Nigerian Tribune in Minna on Monday that President Obasanjo invited General Babangida to Aso Rock last weekend where he asked him to withdraw from Saturday’s PDP presidential convention.
According to the source, President Obasanjo reportedly told General Babangida that he was backing Katsina State governor, Umaru Yar’Adua, as his successor.
It was gathered that on his return home, General Babangida assembled members of his campaign organisation where he reported the outcome of the meeting between him and the president.
According to the source, members of the campaign organisation were unanimous in asking General Babangida to quit the PDP and pursue his presidential dream in another political party.
As a result, General Babangida did not go to Abuja yesterday for the screening of PDP presidential aspirants. Also, the Nigerian Tribune learnt that the world press conference earlier slated for tomorrow to be addressed by General Babangida has been shelved till a later date.
Members of the IBB campaign organisation had already started contacting their supporters for a meeting that would be held before the end of the week, the source said.
However, the Nigerian Tribune learnt that the former military president would still stand for election, most probably on the ticket of a coalition of political parties.
General Babangida had written a letter to President Obasanjo dated December 9, informing the president of his decision to quit the PDP nomination process.
The former military president cited his relationship with the Yar’Adua family and his closeness to General Aliyu Gusau as his reasons for withdrawing from the process.
“Those who know me know my relationship with the Yar’Adua family. The patriarch, Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua, took me as his adopted son with his son, the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and instilled in late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and me that nothing should be done by either of us that would give the impression that there is a strain in our relationship.
“To me, this extends to his younger brother, Alhaji Umar Yar’Adua, who I take as my younger brother. Whenever I see him, I see the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and I am always reminded of what his late father told us about our relationship.
“As for General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, by March 2007, it will be 40 years of close, intense, harmonious relationship extending to our immediate and extended families.
“He, too, came to see me to ask for my support as soon as he collected his form even though he knew I had already collected mine. Out of abiding mutual loyalty, he knew when I said, ‘you have my support,’ that I wanted it to be so,” part of the letter read.
Replying, President Obasanjo said Babangida’s decision must be appreciated and commended by all well-meaning Nigerians, adding that “this is a clear indication of your good naturedness.
“It, therefore, must be applauded by one and all whatever and whenever it is found,” the president said.
