Posted by By YINKA FABOWALE and CHIDI OBINECHE on
General Ibrahim Babangida's expression of intent to contest the 2007 presidential election by picking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination form Wednesday has characteristically divided public opinion.
General Ibrahim Babangida's expression of intent to contest the 2007 presidential election by picking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination form Wednesday has characteristically divided public opinion.
While some supporters of the former military ruler said it was, perhaps, the best thing to happen to the country, others vilified him, describing the move as a gratuitous insult on the sensibility of Nigerians.
Leading the pack of critics, former Oil Minister, Professor Tam David-West, first admitted that retired Army generals had 'the constitutional right like every sane Nigerian adult to contest the office."
However, he said, it was a sad commentary on the system that a person like Babangida with all his 'sordid credentials" and in view of what he had done against democracy in the country, should even remotely wish to come back as President through democratic process.
Specifically, he said the former leader did not deserve to benefit from democracy having irresponsibly and recklessly annulled the outcome of the fairest and most democratic election in the nation's history and yet always boasted that he did not regret what he had done.
David-West declared that the former ruler had no programme that could advance the nation, stressing: 'The only programme Babangida has is for Babangida. He has nothing to contribute. I worked with him. My position is not coloured by his having jailed me so unjustly. It is by what I know of him.
'Indeed, Babangida is a very pleasant man. He is one of the most charming persons I'd ever met in my life. But it's all to oil himself into gaining people's confidence."
But, a former Governor of Cross Rivers State, Mr Clement Ebri, disagreed with the ex-minister. He sees Babangida's entry into the presidential race as very positive. 'I believe the way the country is now with all the uncertainties, we need his experience to keep the ship of state steady," Ebri said.
Although he admits that the former dictator is not without his shortcomings, Ebri remarks that: 'having stayed out of power for about 13 years, Babangida has learnt his lesson."
The former governor said considering Babangida's immense experience, disposition to human beings and his reform-mindedness, the former leader is the right person for the job.
He assures that another shot at the presidency is an opportunity for Babangida to correct his past mistakes, having, according to him, been humbled by events around him.
Said Ebri: 'He is the closest ex-military ruler to what democracy is all about. I see him blending very well with politicians to save the country from the experience of incessant and unnecessary bickering which draws us back."
Asked for his reaction, former Education Minister, Senator Jibril Aminu simply quipped: 'You wait until he returns it (form). Then we will talk."
But the immediate past president of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) and convener, Nigeria Voters Assembly, Mr Moshood Erubami, said Babangida's entry into the race would only embarrass him as Nigerians, who he allegedly misruled would overwhelmingly reject him at the polls.
His words: 'What I have to say to that, is that he has the right as every Nigerian. But his success on that project will be determined by the evaluation report of his nine-year maradonic rule over Nigeria by the people.
'He will be rejected because there are evidences that he misruled Nigeria, introduced corruption, it was in his time that high profile assassinations surfaced in the country. In fact, the poverty we are struggling to overcome today started because of his mismanagement of the resources of this country
'What more, he voided the freest election that jettisoned, for once, all tribal and religious colourations. Let him contest, he will meet us."