IBB BACKS APC’S EMERGENCE

Former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has said that the emergence of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is good for the political development of the country, adding that he has been vindicated on the need for the country to have a two-party system.

Babangida, who spoke to journalists yesterday in Minna, recalled that when he proposed the two-party system to Nigeria, he was criticised and vilified. The recent development leading to the emergence of APC has made him happy, he said.

The nation, the former president noted, is heading towards the two-party system and the APC’s emergence, he said, is good as it would at least provide credible opposition and choice for others.

He said, “I was a very good advocate of two-party system; when I said two, you said I was a soldier; now you have seen reason. I think I am happy.”

Asked whether the development would pose a problem for his party (PDP), Babangida retorted, “PDP or my party? Which one is my party? PDP was my party” and refused to comment further.

Pressed further on the problems within the Governors’ Forum and other crises within the PDP, Babangida said, “I read a column this week about many forums -- about this, about that -- but what of the ordinary man? It is his vote that determines everything in this country. We should not continue to waste our energy talking about appointments when you don’t allow ordinary man to be involved.

“The ordinary man does not know what is happening. You have not been able to ginger the ordinary man to believe in a cause to fight for. Unless we achieve that, we still have a lot to do.”

When asked his stance as regards the economy especially as former US president Bill Clinton recently stated that the nation’s oil wealth had been wasted, Babangida said, “You don’t need a foreigner to tell you; you write it yourself and they read it.”

The former military leader also spoke on the need for provision of sound education, stating that the country’s major problem is education. Government as well as individuals and private bodies must stand to contribute to the educational development of the nation, he said.

Source: Leadership