Fresh facts indicate that former military dictator, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, did not voluntarily withdraw from the 2007 presidential race contrary to general impression- but he was rather scared off by the Obasanjo administration, according to revelations.
Indeed, members of Babangida’s Campaign orgainsation were the masterminds of the last minute withdrawal of the Minna born General from the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after he had earlier purchased the party’s nomination form to feature in the contest.
Babangida was discouraged from contesting the PDP primaries by members of his political think-tanks on intelligence reports that the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo had laid a water tight plan to disgrace him by giving him a June 12 treatment even on possibility that he could win the PDP primaries and the subsequent Presidential election.
A leading member of the think-tank for Babangida’s presidential ambition, General David Jemibewon in a rare interaction with Sunday Tribune recounted how surveys conducted across the country had revealed that Babangida stood the high chance of clinging the PDP ticket and could then proceed to win the 2007 presidential election on a level playing field, a fact which he said the then presidency was desperate to prevent.
Jemibewon told Sunday Tribune that he personally led all members of the IBB Campaign Orgainsation to pressurise him to opt out of the presidential race ahead of time even at a time the former military president was bubbling with enthusiasm and hope of ruling Nigeria again after stepping out of power in 1993.
The former military governor of Old Oyo State disclosed further that the government of Obasanjo had given Babangida sufficient samples on its aversion to his bid to return to government as the President of Nigeria, recounting that the arrest and detention of his first son, Mohammed was one of the most vivid of such samples.
