Ibrahim Babangida, who ruled Nigeria as a military dictator for eight years from 1985 to 1993, on Wednesday vowed not to step down for President Goodluck Jonathan in the vote next year, even though Jonathan’s run is still speculative.
In contrast, former Head of State Muhammadu Buhari, himself angling for Aso Rock, denounced the Northern political elite for ganging up against Jonathan over power shift.
None of the batting, however, impressed former Action Congress (AC) Publicity and Communication Committee Chairman, Gambo Dampass, who riposted that neither Buhari nor Babangida can speak for the North, not even former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Babangida countered, regardless, that all aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should be given a level playing field to test their popularity at the primaries to see who emerges its flag bearer.
He spoke on the Hausa Service of the Voice of America (VOA), where he said the PDP should emulate the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic on which platform five Presidential aspirants contested the primaries.
Said he: “The democracy we are practising is for all. When they formed the NPN, they held a convention to elect the right person to be the flag bearer of the party. Those who wanted to contest were allowed to do so; therefore I am expecting the same in the PDP.
“God willing, they will say everybody willing to contest should come out; it is democracy, after all. There will be voting and the one God gives the fortune to get the highest votes can be the flag bearer of the party.”
But a statement issued by Buhari’s Public Affairs Secretary, Ya’u Darazo, asked the Northern political elite to count him out of the gang up against Jonathan.
Buhari said he was appalled by the widely publicised media reports of meetings held in Kaduna and Abuja last week by some Northern leaders to scuttle whatever may be Jonathan’s quest for the Villa.
“The communique of the Abuja meeting indicated the decision of the conveners of the meeting to invite (Buhari), among others, to their next meeting.
“We wish to use this medium and make it very clear that (Buhari) and his party, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), would have nothing to do with this meeting, as it is diversionary; and its principles are inconsistent with the tenets of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement insisted.
Buhari pointed out that the meeting of the Northerners was largely a PDP affair, hence he could not be part of it.
He lamented that 50 years after independence, the office of the President has been trivialised along sectional divides.
“We wish to make it clear that the Presidency of Nigeria is not about North vs. South or Muslims vs. Christians. It is about programme for development; it is about performance or non-performance; it is about integrity and accountability.
“It is about the fight against corruption and mismanagement of public funds; and Nigerians under free and fair election should be allowed to make their choice.”
Dampass, now a member of the PDP, also punched holes in the plan by the North to rally round Babangida and Atiku and ensure power returns to the region in 2011.
He insisted that Buhari, Babangida, and Atiku, as well as “many others like them have used Northern sentiment on several occasions to secure political relevance only to turn their back on the same Northern people after exploiting them to achieve their goals.
“We have been severally used and dumped by these people who only remember the North exists when there is something to gain, only to allow the same North to suffer its fate when it has been exploited and left.”
Dampass said it would be wrong for Babangida and the others to continue parading themselves as Northern leaders whereas they are a “bunch of political opportunists.”
He said the three men have had their time in the 37 years that the North has ruled Nigeria in its 50 years of independence and should quit the stage for the upcoming vibrant Northerners since their desire for office “is driven by greed and selfish interest.”
Dampass maintained that it does not matter which region picks the Presidential slot, saying what is important is getting a leader who will clear the mess in which the country has found itself over the years.
“If Jonathan could read the mood of Nigerian people and do those things they desire within the remaining short period of his tenure, he will not have to ask to be given another mandate as the people will willingly persuade him to continue beyond 2011.”
He said it was only Murtala Mohammed and Umaru Yar’Adua who touched the lives of the common people, “unlike Shehu Shagari, Buhari, Babangida, and Atiku – all Northerners who did virtually nothing to uplift the living standards of the people of the North, but who now want to use us to further pursue their greed.
“If Nigeria were a country where the law works and where people allow their conscience to dictate for them, people like Babangida, Atiku, and Buhari would never think of asking Northerners for their vote again.
“It is even shameless that they are contemplating to contest in 2011 under the Northern umbrella.”