2023: PDP leaders parley former military President, Ibrahim Babangida in Minna

By JOHN NWOKOCHA, Abuja

Former Military President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida, has called on political leaders to create chance for the appropriate turn in the country to salvage the nation.

He expressed his thoughts on power rotation ahead of the 2023 general elections when the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had a crucial meeting with him at his Hilltop home in Mina, Niger State, on Tuesday. IBB was quoted to have said that ´´it is time to make the “appropriate turn to salvage our dear country at the crossroads.”

The former military president was said to have described the PDP as the “guardrail of democracy”, during the meeting.

Babangida who lamented the situation in the country said that there was no choice before Nigerians but a concerted effort to salvage the nation from its present situation.

Said he: “As the guardrail of democracy, you need to be guided by the history of the country; our past, our present conditions and an appropriate vision of a future for the millions of young people on our streets and the younger generations to follow”.

The former military leader noted that what the nation needs at the moment is a leadership of “genuine democrats, those who truly connect the government and the governed and banish sycophancy, handle national security with more seriousness in all its ramifications, properly earn and retain legitimacy, and above all, bring citizens back from woes and wailing and Nigeria, to the path of nationhood and development´´.

“For the sake of our founding fathers and unborn generations of Nigerians, we have no choice but to make the appropriate turn to salvage our dear country at the crossroads”, Babangida added.

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, who led members of the National Working Committee and other leaders of the party had prayed IBB not to relent in his efforts towards ensuring the unity, stability and development of the country, while explaining that their visit was in furtherance of PDP’s efforts to Rescue and Rebuild the nation from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP leaders also informed Babangida that they were on the visit to tap from his extensive experience and wisdom.

The PDP added that their visit was necessary because the nation is being confronted with worsening insecurity, divisiveness and excruciating economic hardship occasioned by the misrule of the reckless, rudderless, incompetent and corrupt APC.

“We came to tap from your extensive experience and wisdom as a leader and one of the founding fathers of the PDP, particularly at this time that our dear country is facing so much insecurity, division and economic hardship due to the misrule of the APC. We implore you not to relent in ensuring that the unity and development of the country which you and other patriotic Nigerians fought so hard to sustain,” Ayu said in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba.

Ayu assured Babangida that the PDP is repositioned and poised to take over governance from the APC and bring the much-desired good governance, unity and development that have

eluded the nation under the APC.

PDP leaders at the meeting were, former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, and former Deputy Governor of Niger State, Dr. Shem Zagbanyi Nuhu, former PDP National Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, former ministers; Prof. Jerry Gana, Hon Hassan Gimba, Hon Abubakar Achituwo and Hajiya Zainab Maina.

Others are Sen. Zainab Abdulkadir Kure, Chief Tom Ikimi, Sen. Dino Melaye, Amb Ishaya Mujambo as well as Niger State PDP Chairman, Bar. Tanko Beji and Niger State Woman Leader, Haj Sa’adatu Kolo.

Members of the NWC at the meeting were, the Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Umar Damagum; National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; National Woman Leader, Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe; the National Treasurer, Ahmed Mohammed and the National Publicity Secretary, Hon.