EDITORIAL

Former President IBB Declares

“…to the betterment of our country, the advancement of humanity and greater glory of the almighty, I, Ibrahim B. Babangida, a citizen of Nigeria, a servant of our people and a loyal member of the PDP, hereby formally declare my candidacy for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 2011 election for only one term of four years. So help me God.”  (September 15, 2010)

With these words, Former Nigerian President and Military leader Ibrahim Babangida (popularly known by the acronym IBB) formerly declared his candidacy for the office of the President of Nigeria under the banner of the ruling party PDP.  It is indeed a very bold move, for the retired General should be well aware of the country’s situation having ruled for eight years previously, and has since then remained within the country for almost two decades watching every move behind the scene.

Many people have questioned the wisdom of returning to the realms of power after having governed the nation before.  Even though the former President IBB is not the first of such leaders to seek to return to power; Retired General Muhammadu Buhari has also contested and is still contesting in the upcoming election under the banner of a newly registered political party CPC, others have even succeeded at it, i.e. Retired General Olusegun Obasanjo.

The question now is, what does IBB have to offer the nation this time around? Does he have the capacity to make important contributions given that the nation at present is at a very critical point where moving positively forward is the only alternative, the failure of which is proving to be anarchy and chaos?  Our research of the issue did not give us one anonymous answer.  But if anything, yes many including his staunch critics believe that he has the ability to at least arrest, and even possibly reverse the security situation we featured this week on our publication.  The question is whether he is willing to give it his best effort.

At present he faces challenges from both communities of Northern and Southern Nigeria.  The most prominent so far come from Southern Nigeria, especially among those who have accused his government of direct involvement in the demise of Newswatch Magazine Editor Dele Giwa in Lagos.

Up north, most critics view his former administration as the marker and initiator of the dismantling of some prominent Northern established institutions and businesses.  Many are yet to forget that.  But in his speech, IBB seems to defend that argument by saying that he knows many disagree with some of his decisions that were not popular because they were new and revolutionary, saying “We acknowledge that as in any other great and profound social engineering process, many social forces are bound to be rubbed on the wrong side thus the vociferous criticisms the reform programme was subjected to.”

Another angle popularly tabled is; for a nation with one of the most pronounced population density, it may not be a good decision for its people to continue to allow or support the same old leaders back to power instead of grooming and placing a new breed of politicians before the nation.  They argue that others with proven propensity towards good governance have already been identified, but they only need the older leaders to step aside, give them their blessing, patronage and grooming.

All-in-all, it appears from the speech he delivered at the launching of his campaign, the Retired General is fully aware of all such criticisms as well as challenges that the nation is confronted with.  He may be alluding to that in his speech when he says “After almost eighteen years of deep and serious reflection on the path Nigeria has taken, and review of our past and present to which we have been exposed, I am, today, better prepared and more determined to fully engage the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead of my country.” 

First his party the PDP and then Nigerians ultimately have to weigh and decide on the candidacy.  Most importantly it is IBB himself who may have to work on proving to both that he is willing and able.

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