Posted by By Chinwendu Nnadozie, Minna on
One of the wives of the acclaimed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, Dr Bisi Abiola, has led some women and other interest groups under the auspices of "Campaign Network for IBB," on a solidarity visit to Niger State.
One of the wives of the acclaimed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, Dr Bisi Abiola, has led some women and other interest groups under the auspices of "Campaign Network for IBB," on a solidarity visit to Niger State.
The visit was in support of the 2007 presidential ambition of the former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Speaking while playing host to the delegation, Niger State governor, Abdulkhadir Kure, appealed to Nigerians to apply wisdom in casting their votes during the 2007 general elections to ensure that only credible candidates with tested and proven leadership qualities were given the opportunity to serve the country in any capacity.
Kure, speaking through his deputy, Dr Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, extolled the virtues of the former military leader, especially his reform programmes which he said had become the basis for other administrations after his handing-over in 1993.
Kure, who said he was overwhelmed by the calibre of people representing the network, listed some of the achievements of IBB to include the formulation of a policy that gave rise to the establishment of Peoples Bank and focus on the rural areas that enhanced job creation, such as DFFRI.
IBB, according to Kure, is not only a force to reckon with in the history of the country, but world over, as a distinguished ambassador of the country, "I charge all Nigerians, who are of voting age, to come out en masse to vote for Babangida as a democratically elected President come 2007".
He challenged the entire Niger State indigenes and numerous other Nigerians, who are supportive to the IBB cause, not to be distracted by those who do not wish the country well, but to remain focused and committed towards actualising the hand-over to IBB on May 29, 2007 as the next democratically elected President.
Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Campaign Network for IBB and wife of Late M.K.O. Abiola, Dr. Bisi Abiola, said they were in Niger State to register their support for the 2007 presidential plans of IBB, whom she said had contributed in no small way to the growth and development of the country.
Apart from being a committed leader, Dr Abiola told the governor, the IBB supporters' group, with branches in the United Kingdom, United States and Ghana, have benefited in one way or the other from the former Head of State, especially in his rural transformation policies.
Meanwhile, Kure has renewed his commitment to a united Nigeria, where every individual has the right to the choice of who governs the country in the next political dispensation from any part of the country, with religion, political and regional differences not being a barrier.
Kure, speaking through the Director General, Internal Affairs, Niger State, Mohammed Usman Kagara, however, said he has no final say on who becomes the next President of the country, as it depends on the generality of Nigerians of voting age, who are expected to decide who governs them through their votes.
He pointed out that due to the heterogeneous nature of the country, it may not be possible and in the best interest of the country for a candidate from the smallest tribe to govern the country because such a tribe or region may have no national reach to produce the country's President.