IBB Finally Supports Buhari, Warns Pro-Jonathan Campaign Groups To Stop Insulting The Military
has called on pro-Jonathan campaign groups to
desist from insulting the military in any of their
campaign documentaries. Gen Babangida gave the
charge in a statement he signed and released
yesterday March 25th. Read statement below…
"In clear attempts to whip up support for President
Goodluck Jonathan, certain persons, groups and
individuals have embarked on several campaigns
of calumny against former military Heads of State
and presidents who have had the opportunity to
govern this country. Of particular reference is a
one-hour documentary aired on Silverbird
Television on Tuesday night; 24th March, 2015 that
deliberately impugned the integrity of Generals
Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhammadu Buhari, my
humble self; Ibrahim Babangida, the late Sani
Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and T.Y. Danjuma;
all of whom have had the privilege of presiding
over the affairs of this great country at various
levels.
It is either that those promoting the hate
documentary are intellectually delinquent or they
suffer memory loss; or a combination of both. I
have my very strong reservations about the
contents and thematic focus of the said
documentary. Apart from promoting hate
campaign which clearly undermines the modest
contributions of these former presidents, the
commentaries in the documentary against the
former presidents leave a sour taste in the
mouth. Nobody is stopping anyone from
campaigning for their preferred candidates
contesting various positions in the elections, but to
do that at the expense of the reputation,
contributions, patriotism, loyalty and sacrifice of
former presidents to the Nigerian state is, to say
the least, immature. The military is at present
combating the dreaded Boko Haram sect to restore
Nigeria's territorial integrity. What law under a
democracy forbids retired military personnel from
participating in politics and presenting themselves
for election? Over 90 per cent of American
Presidents have military background. Leadership
training is better grounded in the military than any
other profession. And the military parades some of
the best brains in any country, including Nigeria. In
fact, some of my military students that I tutored
have Doctorate Degrees. It is, therefore, callous,
wicked, out-of-sync, cynical and a show of crass
ignorance for anyone to undermine the military
institution by embarking on mudslinging
campaigns against former presidents and leaders
with military background. While those campaigners
are pointing their accusing fingers at us, they
forget to recall that the present Director-General of
the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation is
actually a retired military officer. It is this form of
demonisation and stigmatisation that often
compels us to exhibit esprit de corps amongst
ourselves in support of our military institution and
colleagues when the stakes are high. As disciplined
military officers, we are patriotic Nigerians and
must be treated with utmost respect and
decorum. The military is an institution that is so
dear to my heart. It is an institution that nurtured
my growing up and my achievements in life. I am
not only sold to the military institution and by
extension the Nigerian state, I am betrothed to
it. As a profession, retirees are bound to
participate in politics and democracy as an all-
inclusive process, same way that doctors, lawyers,
teachers, nurses, and civil servants get involved in
it. It is the reason why I ventured into politics in
2003 before I quit in 2010. It is the same reason
why General Obasanjo participated and got
elected; and now General Buhari. It is therefore
very curious that promoters of President Goodluck
Jonathan's aspiration would attempt to demonise
and stigmatise former military leaders and cast
aspersions on them in order to malign their
reputation. This is very unfair. Fact is; the military
fought a civil war to keep this country together.
What I suffer today is a consequence of the injuries
I sustained during the Nigeria Civil War. I am not
sure there is any patriotism that is more than that.
Some of us were prepared to die for the
country."he said in the statement
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