New Nigerian Politics » Ibrahim Babangida (1985-93)

Abiola’s friendship with IBB, Abacha led to his death – Don

admin — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:00:25 +0000

The friendship among General Ibrahim Babangida, General Sani Abacha and the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola has been described as “disastrous friendship,” Empowered Newswire has reported.
It is a kind of friendship that leads to death and destruction. This statement was made by a Nigerian scholar who teaches at the University of California, Davis, USA, Professor Wale Adebanwi, while delivering the 2013 annual lecture of the African Studies Centre at St. Anthony’s College, Oxford University, the United Kingdom.
Adebanwi, who is the author of ‘Authority Stealing: Anti-Corruption War and Democratic Politics in Post-military Nigeria,’ also analysed the friendship between Babangida and his late friend, former Minister of Federal for the FTC, Abuja, Major-General Mamman Vatsa, Abacha and the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and former Bukina Faso leader, Captain Thomas Sankara and President Blaise Compaore. He concluded that the friendship that existed among these competing and ambitious leaders contained the possibility of danger and death.
Professor Adebanwi stated that it was not a surprise that the kind of “instrumental” friendship that these leaders shared among them led to the death of some of them in their quest for power, position and prominence. He cited the example of the execution of Vatsa by his friend and best man, Babangida; the assassination of Sankara by his friend, Compaore; the alleged murder of Yar’Adua through the injection of a killer virus into his body by the agents of his friend, General Abacha; the annulment of Abiola’s election by his friend, Babangida; the imprisonment in solitary confinement of Abiola by his friend, Abacha, and the assassination of Bola Ige while serving under his friend, former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He added that it was ordinarily surprising that in spite of the gruesome way in which Ige was killed and his loyalty to President Obasanjo, Obasanjo later dismissed his friend as someone who did not know his left from his right.
He told the audience that Ige was assassinated while planning to return home to stop Obasanjo’s party from rigging the 2003 elections in the South West. The lecturer also reminded the audience of the famous statement by the philosopher, Aristotle, “O my friend, there is no friend!”
In a lecture entitled, ‘What are Friends For? The Fatality of Affinity in the Postcolony,’Adebanwi challenged African scholars to pay attention to friendship among powerful people in understanding the nature of power and political competition in Africa.
He cited philosophers who states that friendship can be used for three things, including virtue, pleasure and utility. He added that in the context of political competition, friendship is often not used for virtue but for utility thereby turning friends into enemies.
Stated the former Bill Gates Scholar at Cambridge University, “First, from the profile of all these men, their roles, and the positions they occupied in Nigeria’s national life, it is already evident that their friendships could not but have been politically consequential. However, the fact that their friendships were also fatal in virtually every case invites us to examine the potential fatality of friendship when friendship intersects with the search for power in (Africa). Two, the friendships and ambitions of these men have largely defined the political history of Nigeria in the last three decades and half…. Three, the friendships of these men were largely cross-cutting.”
The chief host, Dr David Pratten, the Director of the African Studies Centre, Oxford University and Fellow of St. Anthony’s College, Oxford, stated that the university was happy to invite Adebanwi to give the annual lecture, which had been delivered in the past by distinguished scholars from all over the world.

-Tribune

Plot to kill IBB, Dasuki uncovered

admin — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 03:42:29 +0000

From UBONG UKPONG, Abuja The State Security Service (SSS) yesterday paraded a suspected terror kingpin and two of his lieutenants. The security agency said that the suspects were backed by Iranian terrorist group. They had planned to site a cell in Lagos State.Their target is the South-West where they will launch attacks and cause unrest in the region.. SSS Deputy Director, Press, Marilyn Ogar, gave names of the suspect as Abdulahi Mustapha Berende and his two lieutenants as Sulaiman Olayinka Saka and Saheed Aderemi at a press conference in Abuja. She said that the suspected terrorists leader had confessed that he was asked to as a matter of urgency, provide names of prominent Nigerians who if attacked, could unsettle the South-West. The SSS said that in his bid to satisfy his mentors, he was said to have confessed to listing former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, former Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki, Israeli and American interests, as top on their list for first attack, before they were arrested. According to Ogar, Berende confessed that the South-West, particularly Lagos State, was targeted for attacks because his Iranian handlers believed that the Israelis had an intelligence facility there that was used in spying on Iran. Berende was also said to have confessed that, “his Iranian sponsors requested that he identifies and gathers intelligence on public places and prominent hotels frequented by Americans and Israelis to facilitate attacks. He was also to provide specific details on the following organizations, USAID, Max, Zim International Shipping Company, A A Consulting, Peace Corps and the Jewish Cultural Centre (Chabad) in Lagos.” Ogar said while Berende initially confessed to personally taking photographs of the Israeli Cultural Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos, which he sent to his promoters in Iran, “his lieutenants succesfully conducted surveillance and gathered relevant data on the listed targets preparatory to possible attacks.” Based on their confession, Berende and his Iranian sponsors were said to have agreed on communication codes to represent their targets, with “Uncle”, for Israeli and “Aunt” for America. Ogar said that from intelligence, 50-year-old Berende, who hails from Ilorin, Kwara State, was the Shiite leader in Ilorin and has made several suspicious trips to and from Iran where he interracted with some Iranian elements known to operate a high profile international terrorist network. In the course of his travels, he was said to have attended a six-month course in modern Shi’a Islamic teaching (Da’awa) at Imam Khomeni University, Iran, trained on the use of AK 47, assault rifle, pistols, production and detonation of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). However, Berende initially denied his involvement. He told reporters “I am not a terrorist, I don’t operate with any terrorist group in the world. ” But unable to sustain his argument, he became very emotional, confirming the positions of the SSS from his said confessions, saying, “I never meant to betray my country, I was planning to do genuine business with these people, I realize that they were playing me games”, as he apologised, asking Nigerians, government and his family to forgive him for causing them such embarrassment. via Daily Sun -Punch

Gowon, Babangida, Sambo, others shun peace summit in Kano

admin — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:00:55 +0000

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD

KANO—Northern leaders including Vice President, Namadi Sambo and three former Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar were conspicuously absent at the peace summit organised by Northern Development Focus Initiative, NDFI, in Kano.

Also absent were the Senate President, Senator David Mark, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who were special guests of honour during the two-day peace summit.

No official reasons were given by the organisers of the event over the absence of the political bigwigs but General Muhammadu Buhari was drafted to be the chairman of the summit in the absence of General Gowon who was originally selected for the role.

The appointment of Gen. Buhari as impromptu chairman was not without some hiccups as the national leader of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, initially declined and later grudgingly accepted the offer.

The summit with theme: “Development, peace and unity as tool for enhancing socio economic and political reform in Northern Nigeria,” was aimed at discussing the multi-faceted security challenges confronting the region.

Insecurity reared its ugly head in the Northern region in 2009 following the death of an Islamist leader, Sheik Muhammad Yusuf in an uprising by his group culminating in the crippling of the socio-economic life of the region that was already bugged down by poverty and under-development.

Defending the absence of northern leaders, Senator John Kennedy Waku said, “it is too early to make a case over their absence. It is just day one of the two-day event and I want to believe they will make it”.

However, the event originally scheduled to hold at one of the popular hotels in the ancient city was held at a more secure Government House where invitees were frisked thoroughly by stern looking securitymen before being allowed inside.

The summit was largely attended by retired military officers of northern extraction, retired technocrats, some politicians and artisans.

Speakers at the summit concurred that the security challenges confronting the country has been localized as problem of people of the North East geo-political zone with little or no commitment by the government to resolve the crisis in the interest of peace and development.

Via Vanguard

Babangida: I learnt political notes from Olusola Saraki

admin — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:38:45 +0000

A former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, yesterday described former Senate Leader Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki as a refined politician from whom he learnt a “few political notes”.

Also, a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, said the late Saraki was a bridge between the North and the South.

Babangida, who spoke on Saraki in a statement through his Media Adviser, Prince Kassim Afegbua, said the former Senate Leader understood the dynamics of politics.

The statement said: “Nigeria has once again lost a rare political gem, such a refined man who understood the tempers and mercies of politics and who gave more than a passing interest in nurturing it.

“ He was a man that cultivated his politics in a very peculiar manner and espoused the practice of generosity and good neighbourliness to sustain his array of political followers. Easily called Oloye by his numerous followers back in his native Ilorin , Senator Olusola Saraki was a politician that created his own panache throughout his entire political sojourn.

“He was very close to me and I had the rare privilege of learning a few political notes from his rich reservoir of political knowledge.

“Senator Saraki has the mileage that most politicians do not have. He was kind, generous, God-fearing and enjoyed a popularity that was peculiar to him alone. He understood the dynamics of Nigeria politics and was able to sustain his political relevance through and through.

“Even though death is the final sting of man, it is hurting to lose such a political colossus at this time. His death struck me with awe. It is nostalgic especially when I reflected on those good old days when we shared certain political philosophy together; the philosophy of one Nigeria , the philosophy of growth and development and the symbolic practice of being kind to fellow human being.

“Senator Olusola Saraki’s philanthropy was infectious and down-to-earth. His love for the ordinary folks out there earned him a place in their million hearts. He was the masses man who craved for the elimination of poverty. He shared his riches and politics with many, and his ability to fit into all political groupings was what made his life very unique.

“On behalf of my family, I join millions of his admirers, friends and associates in condoling his family over this painful loss. May Allah in His infinite mercy grant him eternal rest in the hereafter. May He grant the family the strength and courage to bear with this hurting loss. Adieu, Oloye until we meet to part no more.

On his part, a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, in a statement in Abuja , said the late Senate Majority Leader was one of the most successful brokers of peace and “a bridge” between the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria .

Adamu said: “When he was majority leader, the NPN had a slim majority that made it impossible for it to carry out its agenda but the late Saraki’s political sagacity made him find a way for the ruling party to always have its way in the Senate.

“It was to his credit that he held firmly to Kwara State and was able to not only provide adequate leadership for the people but also used it as a spring board for meaningful contributions to national politics.”

He commiserated with the Saraki family and urged the Kwara State Government to immortalise Baba Oloye as the deceased was fondly called.

He added: “The exceptional touch of Baba Oloye, with the grassroots was one of the major sources of his political relevance and something other Nigerians should emulate. He was a self-made person who came to limelight and stayed in the limelight.

“The late ‘Father of Kwara Politics’, as some fondly called Dr. Saraki, had been a prominent political feature at all levels of the country’s democratic journey, from the First, Second, Third and Fourth Republics.

“It is hard to forget the profound roles Dr. Saraki played in the formation of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic , the Peoples Front (PF) in the aborted Third Republic and the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) in this Fourth Republic , before he joined us in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“He was a good Muslim with a compassionate heart. I urge other Nigerians to learn from the deceased’s virtues of compassion and humility.”

While urging his son, Senator Bukola Saraki, to emulate his father, he called on the people of Kwara to give him all the support to be able to fill in the giant shoes left behind by his father.”

IBB can’t challenge Buhari on corruption – David-West

admin — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:51:30 +0000

Former Petroleum Minister, Prof. Tam David-West, on Wednesday slammed former Military President Ibrahim Babangida for accusing his predecessor, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of corruption, ionigeria.com reports.

David-West, alongside human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, also accused Goodluck Jonathan of deceiving Nigerians to justify his “anti-people” policies.

They were the guest speakers at the 3rd Year Memorial Lecture held in Lagos in honour of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

David-West, who was Minister of Petroleum under Buhari, alleged Babangida institutionalised corruption in the oil industry.

He said, “If you put IBB and Buhari on a scale of corruption in Nigeria, IBB will fall down.

“IBB cannot challenge Buhari in terms of corruption and management because IBB destroyed the oil industry.”

David-West maintained that there was never subsidy on fuel and that the government was only deceiving Nigerians when it said it was going to remove it.

The Professor of Virology said the amount spent on fuel subsidy assumed the nature of “amoeba”, changing to about 10 figures as given by different government sources including President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said, “The government itself does not have the figure that has changed 10 times. The so-called subsidy is a fraud rooted in government lies. The government has been lying to justify the removal of subsidy that does not exist.”

He said the sale of petrol at N97 “is a political figure”, adding that based on his calculations Nigerians should be buying it for a maximum of N40.

Falana said payments on subsidy by government in 2011 were fraud involving officials of the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

He said, “N245bn was budgeted for fuel subsidy in 2011. By the end of December, the CBN had released 1.7trn. The coordinating minister (Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala) released additional N500bn. The implication of that is that about 2.2trn was spent without appropriation.

“Those who looted the treasury and pay money to their friends including the officials of the CBN, the Ministry of Finance and the NNPC, all of them, must be dealt with under the law.”

He also criticised CBN’s proposed introduction of N5,000 note and coinage of N20, N10 and N5, saying the plan is to make it “easy to bribe. It is not about the economy.”

Representative of Jonathan at the event, Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr., paid tribute to Gani, describing him as “the people’s lawyer, strong in body and soul.”

He said, “He was a champion of all champions who fought vigorously for an untrammeled rule of law, aiming for an all-embracing social justice system, and undiluted democracy.

President of the Gani Fawehimi Memorial Organisation, the group which organised the lecture, Mr. Ayodele Akele, called on government to immortalise Fawehinmi by naming the office of the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja after him.

Fawehinmi, popularly called Gani, a social critic, human and civil rights lawyer, died on September 5, 2009 at 71 after a prolonged battle with lung cancer.

via Punch

Buhari: Jonathan, IBB, Obasanjo killed oil sector

admin — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 05:30:36 +0000

President promises to suprise critics -Babangida threatens to expose Buhari

On a day a former Head of State placed the blame for Nigeria’s woes at his doorstep, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday hit back at his critics.

He rejected such blame, especially by former leaders and vowed that although he is the most vilified President in the world, he would leave office as the most celebrated.

Dr. Jonathan spoke at the opening of the 52nd Annual General Conference of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Abuja.

As the President was parrying the criticism of his administration at the Federal Capital Territory, former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was railing at him in Kaduna, the North’s political headquarters.

The former presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) accused Jonathan, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-military President Ibrahim Babangida of being behind the destruction of the oil industry, with its attendant effects on the welfare of the ordinary Nigerian.

Gen. Buhari spoke while receiving members of the CPC from Katsina, who paid him a Sallah homage.

But Dr. Jonathan rejected the dark tar with which his administration is painted. He said: “Sometimes, even people who have held offices in government criticise me to the extent of personal abuses. Sometimes, I ask, ‘were there roads across the country and Jonathan brought flood to wipe out these roads?’ Or we had power and I brought hurricane to break down the entire infrastructure?

“If they say Boko Haram is because of poverty; were there massive irrigation projects in the North where agriculture can thrive and massive farms and Jonathan brought drought to wipe out these farms? Under two years, is it possible? Well, time will tell. What I can tell Nigerians is that let those who criticise continue to criticise.

“We will do our best and as we progress, Nigerians will know the truth and we’ll see that we are committed and will surely transform this country.”

Jonathan assured that his critics would have the cause to praise him at the end of the life of his administration when his Transformation Agenda would have yielded the expected dividends.

He said: “I think I am the most criticised President in the whole world, but I tell this noble audience that before I leave, I will also be the most praised president.

“I have experienced that before in my governor journey in Bayelsa state. In fact, people who were close to me will tell you that even after the election, I told them that in my first 12 months, please cover your ears because you will hear all kinds of things. But as we progress, you will see (changes).

“We are working very hard to stabilise power. We are working very hard to resurface our roads. We have security challenges, which we are also working very hard to bring to reasonable control.

“It is not easy; we don’t have the magic wand, except the miracle worker that with the wave of the hand, probably will help to throw all these challenges away and prosperity will appear. But in pure governance issues, it takes time.”

The President said he promised to deliver free, fair and credible elections before the conduct of the 2011 general elections and the assessment of the polls by local and international observers was a testimony that he kept his promise.

He said his administration had initiated policies that would ensure the country political, social and economic transformation.

Jonathan said the Federal Government had proposed a new Anti-terrorism Bill 2012 to address the current security challenges in the country.

The President said he disagreed with the position of the NBA on the urgent need to create State Police to address the security challenges in the country.

According to him, Nigeria is not ripe for State Police because it can easily be abused by the governors, a development which, he said, can worsen the security situation.

He said the police became worse for it, when it introduced the policy of deploying men from the rank of Inspector downward to their states of origin.

Jonathan said his administration considered the NBA as a partner in progress and commended the association for choosing a topical theme for the conference.

The theme, “Nigeria as an Emerging Market: Redefining our Laws and Politics for Growth”, the President said, is in line with the public-private-partnership-oriented policy of his administration.

He urged the association to review its rules of engagement which, he said, bar its officers from directly getting involved in day-to-day governance either in an advisory or participatory capacity.

The President said he had appointed the outgoing President of the NBA, Joseph Daudu (SAN), as Honorary Legal Adviser, but he (Daudu) declined the offer based on the association’s rules of engagement.

Jonathan said he was still willing to appoint the incoming president of the association to the position, if the rule could be reviewed.

Gen Buhari said the insincerity and corrupt nature of the nation’s leaders were responsible for the wave of insecurity in the country.

His guests from Katsina State were led by the member representing Funtua/Dandume Federal Constituency, Dr. Mansur Abdulkadir.

According to Gen. Buhari, the high level of corruption and the destruction of the petroleum industry began in the administration of Gen. Babangida. For the country to move forward, Nigerians must entrust its affairs to trusted leaders, he counselled.

The former Head of State noted that there was no country where impunity thrives like Nigeria, adding that corruption in the petroleum sector began during the era of Gen. Babangida, continued during that of ex-President Obasanjo and the administration of President Jonathan because, in his view, they had the mindset to cheat the Nigerian masses.

He said: “The biggest challenge of Nigeria is for adequate security to be in place and ways in which we can protect the riches of this country and provide job opportunities for the youths in the country, so that we can build more industries as it was before.

“Inability of these industries to work has brought mistrust and corruption to Nigeria. Therefore, our leaders have to be sincere and lead with the fear of God and carry all along for Nigeria to be a better place.

“All leaders should stand and keep promises of the people. We cannot move forward, if things that are supposed to be put in place are not done. Like the money which was siphoned in the recent pension scam and the petroleum industry scam must all be brought back into the government’s coffer for good leadership.

“Therefore, all those that want the masses to vote and be voted for should go to the masses and get their mandate. The era of using money to bribe the masses or force to get political office is gone.

“A leader that wants to be a good leader must look at the needs of the people, the suffering and the humiliation and proffer solution to those problems and together we shall achieve greatness.”

Abdulkadir told Gen. Buhari that their mission was to wish him happy Eid-el-Fitr celebration and seek his blessing ahead of the local government election in Katsina State.

via Nation

Babangida threatens to expose Buhari (You are all thieves)

admin — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 05:28:22 +0000

A few hours after President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari took a swipe at former leaders, ex-Military President Ibrahim Babangida fired back.

He asked Dr. Jonathan to learn to accept criticisms and threatened to expose the “holier-than thou-attitude” of Gen. Buhari.

Gen. Babangida, who spoke through Prince Kassim Afegbua, his media adviser, reminded Gen. Buhari that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

He also advised Dr. Jonathan to look elsewhere, not him, if he is blaming past leaders that are criticising him.

Kassim said: “On President Jonathan, there is nothing wrong in criticism if it is constructive and in the interest of the country. Gen. Babangida is one unique former President who does not criticise a sitting President as a matter of courtesy.

“If President Jonathan is blaming past leaders, he should look elsewhere, certainly not IBB.

“On Gen. Buhari, it is not in IBB’s tradition to take up issues with his colleague former President. But for the purpose of record, we are conversant with Gen. Buhari’s so-called holier-than-thou attitude.

“He is a one-time Minister of Petroleum and we have good records of his tenure as minister.

“Secondly, he also presided over the Petroleum Trust Fund ( PTF) which records we also have.

“We challenge him to come out with clean hands in those two portfolios he headed. Or, we will help him to expose his. “records of performance during those periods.”

“Those who live in glass houses do not throw stones. Gen. Buhari should be properly guided.”

via Nation

Call for Jonathan to resign laughable – IBB

admin — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:53:33 +0000

Babangida & VP Sambo

Wole Mosadomi & Abdallah el-Kurebe
MINNA — Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida yesterday described as laughable, the call by Islamic sect, Boko Haram on President Goodluck Jonathan to resign from office as condition for peace to reign in the country.

General Babangida at an interaction with newsmen at his Hill Top mansion, Minna, Niger state as part of activities to mark his 71st birthday today also declared that he had no link with Boko Haram. He challenged Nigerians to unravel those behind the Islamic sect and its origin rather than point accusing fingers at innocent citizens.

He said that there were other sensitive issues confronting the nation which were also deadly, but were being swept under the carpet.

Babangida said: “From my own observation and reading what the media write, I want to say you have not done more studies, you have not done more investigations and researches to find out the causes of this Boko Haram and even communal clashes within the Fulanis, Gwaris and other tribes in the country. Somebody should be able to tell us; somebody should be able to do a research on these and not just conclude that I and some few others are behind the Boko Haram which is not so”.

Reacting to the call by Boko Haram on President Jonathan to resign, Babangida said: “The call for President Jonathan to resign is laughable and it needs no comments from me or any sensible and patriotic Nigerian. What the present situation in the country needs now is for all Nigerians to join hands with the president to move the country forward in all spheres of life in order to take its rightful place in the comity of nations”.

The former military president also threw his weight behind the establishment of state police, pointing out that the agitation by some Nigerians for state police was in order and needs to be considered.

IBB advocates state police, says it ‘ll work

He said: “The fear is unfounded. I have advocated it in the past and I think it can work and I will continue to advocate it. We should not allow the fear of 1950s on the establishment of state police to continue to haunt us because things have changed and will continue to change. If we got it wrong in the 50s, it does not mean we will still get it wrong now.”

On the recent challenge by elder statesman and Ijaw national Leader, Chief Edwin Clark asking him and other northern leaders to publicly condemn Boko Haram if he had no link with the sect, General Babangida said “I have been commenting on the Boko Haram issue and I have never hidden my disaffection against the sect and I will continue to dissociate myself from the sect.

“Chief Clark is my friend. I have known him for the past 35 years. There is a mutual respect between me and him and so, I wouldn’t want this issue to truncate that respect and I know he will not deny me as a friend and so, that is settled,” Gen. Babangida remarked.

Gen. Babangida who clocks 71 years today said he is thankful to God for sparing his life to see today and that he is fulfilled with his current position.

“The religious book says, in whatever position you are, you should give thanks to Allah and with the position I find myself today, I give thanks to Allah and as my birthday falls into the Ramadan period, I will remain at home with my family, pray to Allah fervently without any fanfare”, Gen. Babangida said beaming with joy.

Nigeria’s insecurity challenge will soon be a thing of the past— Sultan

Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar has reiterated that the current security challenge posed by Boko Haram will soon be a thing of the past.

The Sultan who gave the assurance when he hosted members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ to a Ramadan dinner at his Palace, yesterday, said: “We have been working very hard to bring the challenge of insecurity to an end. We have met at NIREC level and other levels. We are doing it to ensure the return of normalcy. You see that there is a lot of violence all over the country, left, right and centre. We must end these”.

He said that “as leaders, we have said so much on the situation of things “but still, some people come out to postulate that Muslims are out to destabilize the country. Government understands our stand. Mr President has high respect for us. It is an issue I am passionate about. We are very honest and straightforward”.

On how to tackle the challenge by the Islamic sect, the Sultan said: “We have to know who are the political Boko Haram, we have to know who are the economic Boko Haram, but we must work together in order to defeat the insurgents.”

The Sultan also commended the peace moves in Plateau State saying, “I am happy about the positive comments of Governor David Jang, especially his recent meeting with ethnic communities and the comments of Solomon Lar, which were aimed at bringing permanent peace there.”

He then called on Nigerians not to allow enemies of the people to scuttle the peace moves. “We give extra support to this move because we believe that we need peace in Plateau. Those trying to scuttle the moves should be condemned,” the Sultan stressed.

He called on Journalists to consider national security in their reporting. “There are other insecurity problems that are not reported by you. Kidnapping and armed robbery are some of them. You have always concentrated on Boko Haram. I urge you to avoid sensational headlines in consideration for national security and peace and sometimes, you create the monsters. Be patriotic on national security,” the Sultan advised.

Clark asks IBB to help end insecurity

admin — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 03:47:48 +0000

ELDER statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, on Wednesday, threw a fresh challenge at General Ibrahim Babangida and other northern leaders on the Boko Haram insurgence, calling on him to lead the task aimed at ending the problem once and for all.

Clark said he never minced words in throwing the ball of confronting the menace in the court of IBB and others, insisting that Babangida, as a former head of state, holds a greater responsibility in saving Nigeria.

The Ijaw leader said IBB and others should take a cue from the role he played in dousing the activities of militants in the Niger Delta, in which case he along with other South-South leaders visited the creeks to appeal to the restive youths.

He said prior to the 2011 presidential election, some northern leaders threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable, noting that the remarks made by leaders like Lawal Kaita, Adamu Ciroma and others laid the basis for the current insurgence by terrorists.

Clark, who was represented at a media briefing held in his house by his private lawyer, Mr Kayode Ajulo, said he expected that IBB should have joined many other Nigerians in condemining the ceaseless killing by Boko Haram, rather than launching verbal diatribe against his person.

via Tribune

Obasanjo & Babangida: Re-enforcing Peace with Joint statement – By Emeka Chiakwelu

admin — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 05:02:46 +0000

By Emeka Chiakwelu | NNP | August 4, 2012 - Henry Kissinger, the global geo-political icon furthered the thesis on what was called “Big Talk” and with Nigeria’s growing insecurity the joint statement by former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida can be rated in that important category.

Big talks can be consequential and when managed properly with necessary
implementation it can bear fruit. Henry Kissinger’s big talks pioneered
the policy on Détente with fruitful results on SALT (strategic arms
limitation talks) and the Helsinki Accords. It even gave birth to the
President Nixon’s opening of China and Henry Kissinger as the United
States Secretary of States and the chief facilitating strategist.

It is important to give these instances to buttress that words can have
consequential meaning when executed properly and given the opportunity to
germinate on a fertile ground.

Nigeria is in a delicate trajectory point but has not reached what
physicist calls an “Escape velocity” which literally means a point of no
return. Not yet! Nigeria can be salvaged even make whole again when
patriots and lovers of stability vow to restore the country to her lost
glory of 1970s and early 80s.

The former leaders of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida may
be up to something that maybe the beginning of the solution to the
eradication of the ills of insecurity and terrorism engulfing Nigeria.
But only time will measure the efficacy and effectiveness of their
commitments to their words.

Words are powerful and initiation of any viable project starts with words
and in this case “big talk” that could produce big result. The joint
statement highlighted an important statement below that cannot be divorced
from a nation in quest for progress and development:

“We need to reiterate that no meaningful development can ever occur in an
atmosphere of violence and hatred. History has shown that any society that
is built on the structures of violence and intolerance cannot prosper. We
need to appreciate that, God in His infinite mercy, has blessed our
country with abundant resources and talents, but we need peace and harmony
to harness them not just for our own well being but also that of our
children and grandchildren. We owe this future generations of Nigerians
this much.”

This is the truth about nature and on the progress of a nation: without
peace and stability no nation can rise to become a developed entity.
Without doubt, Nigeria is resources rich including natural and human
capitals but without stability her quest of joining the family of
industrial nations will become a mirage.

Truth must be told, the most important function of government is the
protection of life and property and when those are found wanting the
potential of a nation cannot be realized.

Nigeria has formed the habit of begging foreign investors to send their
capitals especially in the non-oil sector of the economy. Inspite of the
public relation and campaigning which is anchored on rebranding by Federal
government of Nigeria, investors do their feasibility studies before
sending their precious capital to the country.

Nigeria must deal with this perception that the country is unstable, for
it is not good for business. Nigeria is losing billions of dollars to
tourists who have the desire to visit Nigeria but are deter by the
insecurity and fear that is checkmating the country’s progress and
development.

Obsanjo and Babangida are right on the money to re-engage citizens of
Nigeria on this emerging trend: “A deeply worrying trend that is emerging
from this terrible situation is that a pervasive cynicism is beginning to
set in, so much so that millions of true Nigerian patriots are starting to
question the platform upon which the unity of this country rests. This is
simply untenable. The people of this country must not allow whatever sense
of frustration, fear and despair we are experiencing now to supersede our
hopes for a collective destiny which lies in our continued existence as a
nation. For us, and we believe for millions of other Nigerians, the
continued unity of this nation is not only priceless but non-negotiable.”

Nigerians as citizens should and be able to live in any part of country
without fear of being look as an intruder and unacceptable. When we lose
that bond and glue that hold us together the saltiness will lose its
taste.

It is imperative that men and women of goodwill must come together and
take a stand on the state of the nation. By this joint statement, former
presidents Obsanjo and Babangida have started the “big talk” and the rest
is on Nigerians to listen without being cynical and produce affirmative
results.

Emeka Chiakwelu is the Principal Policy Strategist at Afripol
Organization. Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (Afripol) is
foremost a public policy center whose fundamental objective is to broaden
the parameters of public policy debates in Africa. To advocate, promote
and encourage free enterprise, democracy, sustainable green environment,
human rights, conflict resolutions, transparency and probity in Africa.
http://afripol.org. strategist@afripol.org