Posted by By IBRAHIM BARDE, Kano on
Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Bukar Abba Ibrahim, says much as he admires former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, he would not support his bid for the 2007 presidency.....
Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Bukar Abba Ibrahim, says much as he admires former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, he would not support his bid for the 2007 presidency. This, he said, is because he also wants the top job.
The governor, who says he intends making a public declaration of his interest in the exalted office in July, praises General Babangida for the creation and workability of the Option A4 electoral process, which he recommended for the 2007 polls.
According to him, the electoral process is the key to ending the on-going dispute between the North and the South over where the successor to President Olusegun Obasanjo would emerge from.
'I like all the other aspirants.
There is no aspirant that I don't like, but my belief is that I am the best. Firstly, I am a civilian. Secondly, I have always lived for the people and served the people. Having served the people in various capacities I believe the next thing I should be aspiring to is the presidency," he said.
Governor Abba Ibrahim describes Option A4 as 'open, transparent, free and fair, such that we don't have to worry about North, South, East or what have you. We will only worry about 36 states of the federation."
He says he is, 'fanatical about Option A4. We have tried it, it had worked and I have seen how transparent, how open and free it was. It was used by both the SDP and NRC, in politics. You can't beat that that was a master stroke, that is one of the things I have to give President Babangida," he said.
Asked if he would support the former military president in his quest for the number one job in the land, Abba Ibrahim said: 'Ah, ah!! How can I support somebody when I want it (presidency) for myself? He has already said that he wants to be president of Nigeria. I too want to be the president of Nigeria. So, how can I support him?
'But in politics, anything could happen. It never ends until it is over. So, for now, I am an aspirant and I have already declared my intention. Public declaration is a different thing altogether," he said.