As backstabbing & Front Stabbers are now legal in 9ja
Photo:EvilGeniusLaughing evil laugh "uhuuuahhaahhhhaaa Naija people are fools !" Abiola inset:
Ibrahim Babangida, Nigeria’s former military dictator, yesterday said that he was willing to have the late Moshood Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 general elections “immortalised.”
Mr. Babangida, while responding to questions from aviation correspondents at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), disclosed that Abiola fought for Nigeria’s democracy and his efforts should be recognised.
“I think it is good at long last that somebody is trying to acknowledge the efforts of Chief M. K. O. Abiola. We cannot deny him the fact that he fought for democracy, and I am glad that the government is accepting it.
“Also, I want to see a situation whereby he will be immortalised as a person who fought for democracy in this country,” Mr. Babangida said.
Babangida’s doublespeak
Ironically, Mr. Babangida annulled the June 12, 1993 election, which was adjudged as the country’s freest and fairest election. The annulment was the catalyst for a series of events which forced Mr. Babangida to “step aside” and hand over to an Interim National Government, headed by Ernest Shonekan, who hails from Abeokuta, like Abiola. Three months after, Mr. Shonekan was deposed by the late Sani Abacha, a General and Chief of Defence Staff, who later arrested Abiola until he died in detention.
The former Nigerian leader, who has expressed interest in running for the 2011 general elections, disclosed that he would prefer that an institution be named after the late Abiola, adding that it would be a lasting bequest to the 1993 general elections winner.
“Well, there are so many things, but I will leave that to government. I want to see maybe an institution named after him that talks only about democracy. That is the most enduring legacy we can give MKO,” he said.
Dropping presidential ambition
Asked about his response to calls by Nigerians and especially that of former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Maitama Sule, who said that Mr. Babangida and former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari, should not contest the 2011 presidential elections, the former military helmsman said that everybody is entitled to his or her opinion.
“This is democracy,” he said. “You may have 150 million opinions. I have my own opinion and he has his own, you cannot deny him.”
He disclosed that when it is time, Nigerians will know. “The time has not come; when we get to the bridge we will cross it,” he said.
Regarding the number of political parties, the former president said that the lesser the number of political parties in the country, the better for the nation’s democracy.
“I am not a believer in 51 parties. The smaller, the better for democracy, and then everybody will have a place to be accommodated. But you see, there are so many little ones and everybody moves towards the winning party,” he said.
“I think it is better for this country to run a manageable party, than maybe three, four, or five.”
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