Babangida campaign posters flood Abeokuta

Residents of Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State, woke up to posters promoting the presidential ambitions of Ibrahim Babangida, on the morning of Thursday May 6, 2010.

Speculations suggest that an unknown group plastered the posters at strategic points around the city in the early hours...

Abeokuta is the hometown of Moshood Abiola, winner of the June 12, 1993, elections, annulled by Babangida, Nigeria’s former military ‘president’. The 1993 polls were generally believed to be the freest and fairest polls ever held in our country.

Abiola lost his life after spending a number of years in military detention during the struggle to reclaim his mandate.

No persons have so far claimed responsibility for the poster campaign in Abeokuta.

This is no surprise to some observers, who point to the residents’ negative disposition to the prospect of a Babangida presidency in 2011.

Many Abeokuta residents tore down the posters from the walls of their properties.

Similar poster-tearing operations were reportedly carried out by a number of traders, whose shops were defaced with posters. Speaking with NEXT, many expressed their displeasure over the military boss-turned-politician’s campaign brought to their doorsteps.

“If those behind and responsible for the pasting of the posters are sure of what they were doing, why should they be hiding under the cover of midnight and odd hours to carry out the assignment? It is conscience that is worrying them,” said a man who gave him name as Baba Sule.

Entertain no fear

Another Abeokuta resident, Abayomi Omooseparo, an artisan, gave his reactions in the Yoruba language, saying, “If you do good, you need not entertain fear,” stressing that the elusiveness of the campaign promoters who worked under the cover of night, speaks volumes.

The posters, carrying an image of Babangida, came with the inscriptions: ‘IBB Movement 2011’, ‘Babangida For President; It’s our cause’. The posters also suggested the endorsement of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as they carried the party’s logo.