LAGOS, February 4, (THEWILL) – Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, fondly called the evil genius, the Maradona, IBB because of his cunning ways, Sunday within a timeline of four hours, issued a statement, disowned it and then reversed to embrace the initial statement.
THEWILL recalls that Babangida first issued a widely circulated statement on Sunday afternoon through his official spokesman, Kassim Afegbua, advising President Muhammadu Buhari against seeking reelection. About two hours after the statement, another statement was released personally signed by the former military leader disowning the first statement.
THEWILL gathered from a source close to the Babangida family that one of the retired soldier’s sons released that statement on behalf of IBB after convincing the statesman that it was wrong to have come out openly against Buhari, reminding him of the persecution he suffered in the hands of former President Olusegun Obasanjo when he (son) was detained by the EFCC in the run up to the 2007 presidential election following IBB’s bid to contest.
However, minutes after the rebuttal was issued and the chaos that ensued, THEWILL gathered that Babangida was pressured to do another U-turn by some of his influential colleagues in the retired military brass who are plotting a civilian coup to stop Buhari from seeking reelection, and if that fails ensure he is defeated in the 2019 general election.
Mr. Afegbua was on Channels television on Sunday evening to affirm that IBB actually did authorize the first statement, the rebuttal and U-turn. He added that he had no information on the identity of the person that issued the rebuttal. He apologized for the mix up.
(Watch out for THEWILL special report on the retired military Generals who plan to stop Buhari’s reelection bid).
The initial rebuttal said: “My attention has been drawn to a report making rounds especially online in which I was quoted as advising Nigerians not to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in the coming 2019 election.
Not only is the said statement untrue, it is in its entirety, an inaccurate representation of my view of the state of our dear Nation.
As a former President and an elder statesman, I have existing communication channels through which I reach out to President Muhammadu Buhari on topical issues of national importance, should there be the need so to do.
The media, both online or mainstream and indeed the unsuspecting public are advised to disregard such false reports.
Thank you and God Bless you all.
Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Rtd) (GCON)
Former Military President Federal Republic of Nigeria
Hilltop Mansion
Minna, Niger state.
4th February 2018.”
