Former military president Gen. Ibrahim Babangida has advised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders to provide a better choice for Nigerians.
Babangida spoke in Minna at the weekend while receiving members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), led by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
A statement yesterday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the ex-military dictator expressed satisfaction with the rebranding so far achieved by the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“I am happy at your assurances that there will be no imposition in all your primary elections. It is all about choice and you have promised to provide the best choice,” Babangida was quoted to have said.
He was said to have hailed the December elective national convention of the PDP, and noted that not a few Nigerians believed that the national convention will hold, adding however that the outcome was successful.
“Your ‘Reposition, Rebrand and Regain’ agenda is working and I mean particularly the rebranding. Some people believed that having been in government since 1999, the PDP will find opposition difficult but you are carrying on well and providing a better alternative.
“You have also not abandoned the people in times of crisis. I monitored your activities in Benue, Taraba and you just said your party has sent members to Zamfara to commiserate with the people. Surely, you have made the people the centre of your return and they will not forget you because you were with them in time of sorrow,” he was quieted to have said.
Secondus was said to have earlier told Babangida that former Nigerian leaders must rally together to save the nation from the present administration.
He lamented the killings and economic hardships, which Nigerians contend with on a daily basis, stressing that the country has never witnessed the type of division the people were facing.
Secondus said: “As a leader, you made the welfare of Nigerians the thrust of governance. You were also concerned about the peace and unity of this nation. You created and built people as well as institutions.
“Today, our nation is drifting and as a leader you cannot afford to keep quiet and watch on the sides. Leaders like you must come together and take a firm position on how to save our nation from the precipice.”