The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to the wise counsel of former President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida not to seek reelection in 2019, but prepare to hand over to much younger person who can move the nation forward.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it will only respond to the content of the letter if there is the need to do so after studying it.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi told The Nation on phone: “I don’t have any comment because I have not read the letter. After reading it and there is the need to respond to it, I will do that”.
However, in a statement signed by its National secretary, Dr.James Okoroma, the ADP said history will be kind to the former President for speaking out against what he described as leadership failure of President Buhari.
Okoroma said the former President was “clinical in his presentation by touching on the economy, pervasive insecurity, bloodletting across the country , devolution of powers, community Policing and restructuring.”
“Babangida’s declaration that restructuring can no longer be wished away shows that there is hope for Nigeria. Those who thought that Buhari’s actions and segregation had the blessings of the entire North, can now heave a sigh of relief with a serious opposition coming from another Northern leader of Babangida’s status.”
While aligning with the former President in appealing to President Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019, the ADP scribe said: “Babangida was one of those who fought to keep Nigeria one, he cannot keep quiet while Buhari destroys the country through divisive and nepotistic leadership. Today, we are losing our Country on a account of Buhari’s misrule which has set the Country backward.”
“Babangida’s advice that the war against Boko Haram be taken to the inner recesses of Sambisa Forest should be hidden.
“Babangida spoke as a Patriot. He offered solution to every problem he identified in his statement. He has spoken as one of the Fathers of modern Nigeria. The issues he has raised should engage the attention of all Patriots.
“History will be kind to IBB for speaking up against the leadership failure under President Muhammad Buhari. From all indications, the Buhari Government is a monumental failure and a disappointment to all Nigerians”.
The Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM) in its reactionn said the position expressed by the former President is a tacit endorsement of its agenda to recruit, groom and position credible fresh breed successor Leaders for the 2019 elections
NIM’s Deputy Director General, Mallam Naseer Kura commended what he described as IBB’s strategic intervention on the crisis of leadership and politics rocking Nigeria.
He said NIM is also compelled by the dearth of real political parties in the country to facilitate a major Rainbow political platform, modeled after the ANC of South Africa, to undertake the grooming of its adopted candidates for the 2019 elections.
Kura further asserted that “with this crucial endorsement of the third force initiative of NIM by IBB and other Eminent Leaders of the country, it means the time has come for fresh breed third force ideologues to rise up and take over the mantle of leadership to lead the country out of the present woods of political inertia and impunity, while also not shying away from NIM’s core agenda for profound democratic reordering of the Nigerian State come 2019”