Although he has started mobilizing support among the political elite in some states in the south, the 2011 political aspiration of former military ruler, Ibrahim Babangid,a is yet to make impact in the north. Already, some top Arewa elders are considering advising the gap-toothed general against a presidential bid that some see as a demonstration of opportunism and disloyalty to one of his closest friends.
Although officials of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) told The Nation that the body had not yet seen any need to formally discuss issues about any of the potential presidential aspirants, some respected elders working outside the forum believe that IBB should not be in the race.
Like all other former heads of state and ex-presidents of northern origin, General Babangida is one of the patrons of the ACF."Some respected elders including two elderly former ministers and a former newspaper publisher who are respected by top politicians in the region have been approached to discuss matters with IBB.
"It is amazing that even though he was aware that his very close friend who served him so loyally before and after the two of them became retired generals, wants to have a shot at the Presidency in 2011.
"There is an understanding that the retired general was called in to help stabilize Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and neutralize the cabal’s influence in government within the few months that he agreed to serve before going for the 2011 race.
"This retired general had been a pillar of support behind the scene for IBB and others. The elders may be asking IBB why he has to pre-empt his loyal friend and more or less, truncate his friend’s only chance to reach a position that IBB once held," a source in Kaduna stated.
Aside the June 12, 1993 election’s annulment baggage, some obstacles to the realization of IBB’s 2011 ambition may come from religious leaders; members of the Governors’ Forum; politicians who prefer the North-West geo-political zone to retain the Presidencyand former Vice President Abubakar Atiku’s political machine.
Other likely sources of complications for IBB’s 2011 political game-plan include personalities who remain averse to the idea of having another retired general who may turn out to dominate the political space like the way ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo did.
However, General Babangida may still count on some influential traditional rulers as potential supporters.
Within ACF, discussions of IBB’s political ambition have not attracted official attention yet.
Although ACF’s Secretary-General, Colonel Musa Shehu (rtd), declined to make further comments when contacted by our correspondent, he and other officials stated that the pan-Arewa body had not put any such matter on its agenda for discussion.
While the chairman of ACF’s Political Committee, Alhaji Mohammed Gusau, affirmed ACF’s commitment to decide on issues that will impact on Arewa people, ACF’s spokesman, Mr. Anthony Sani, pointed out that the body would prefer to give guidelines to the populace on what to look for in political aspirants, adding that ACF would not like to be drawn into any politician’s battles.
When contacted on the telephone, a spokesman of the IBB campaign organisation, Mr. Kassim Afegbua, insisted that all the stakeholders had been rallied to join the cause of the ex-president.
"Who is more credible than IBB in this contest from the north? In a democracy, we talk about the electorate, they are the people we have responsibility for," he added.
