Only days after Godwin Daboh advised Ibrahim Babangida to roll his mat up to avoid political disgrace, Babangida showed him who was the better con man, as he set Daboh up to publicly apoligize before TV cameras in Abuja. In a classic case of betrayal, Babangida got Daboh's friends to fool him into a face-to-face encounter that Daboh did not expect.
The former dictator and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, General Babangida, got Godwin Daboh, who is currently at the vanguard of one the Goodluck Jonathan for President groups, to plead for forgiveness and assure Babangida that he would drop his opposition to the latter‘s ambition. But Daboh told Daily Sun later in an exclusive interview in Abuja that he was tricked into the meeting through former governor of Niger State, Abdulkadir Kure, where television cameras were beamed on him to portray him as a double dealer. He also denied begging IBB.
Daboh who is national president of Benue State Elders Forum and Deputy Coordinator of Concerned PDP Elders for Jonathan/Sambo 2011 said the entire scenario was a plot by Babangida to set him up. The alarm by the PDP chieftain is coming barely 24 hours after the former military president warned President Goodluck Jonathan to beware of Chief Daboh. “He would turn against Jonathan even before the end of this year,” IBB had reportedly warned Jonathan.
Narrating how he was tricked into the meeting with IBB, Daboh told Daily Sun: “This morning (yesterday) at 11:42am, mamman Kolo, someone I regard as a son called me on phone number 08065696524 and asked me to call Kure. The message was that I should please call former governor Kure of Niger State on 08056006010.
“So, I called Kure who has been a long standing friend. He answered and said he would like to see me urgently and that I should met him in his office. He said he has something important to discuss with me. So, I went there, near FERMA office.
“When I got there, Kure was already waiting in a National Assembly car marked Senate. Inside the car were three people with him. One of the three people was a former PDP chairman in Niger State. I do not know the other two persons.
“The two people moved away from the car and entered the car I came with. I went with my friend. Kure now drove me to Attahiru Bafarawa’s house near Transcorp Hilton Hotel.
“As soon as we entered the parlour, Kure said he wants to talk to me. After about two minutes, I heard a voice that sounded like that of Ibrahim Babangida. So, I asked him why he had to do this to me. He said he wants me to talk with Babangida.
“I objected by telling him that he didn’t tell me that I was to meet with Babangida. You just brought me here. Then Babangida emerged and said we are very close and inseparable. He said I am his friend but that he knows I am with Jonathan. We were talking and cracking jokes. Food was now ready and we ate.
“When we finished, I said I am going. Then, an Air Vice Marshal who is retired said let them see me off. So Babangida and the Air Vice Marshal stood up. While we were there, Afegbua, his Publicity Secretary came in and greeted me. On our way out, I suddenly saw a cameraman from television station.
“They started interviewing me. I made my position clear. They now asked me if I have left Jonathan. I said no; I am the chairman of one of Jonathan’s movements and I am still supporting him.
“Then the journalist asked me if I have changed my mind about Jonathan and now supporting Babangida. I am supporting Jonathan. That’s what I said. Babangida then left me and the journalist,” he explained.
Daboh said Kure was unfair to him by taking him to former governor Bafarawa’s house and colluding with Babangida to set him up.
“I am calling on all Nigerians to beware of Babangida because the position here is this; God has made His own will on what is going to happen. Everybody knows that Jonathan is going to be the next elected president of Nigeria, ” he said.
He maintained that he has advised Babangida to steer clear of the 2011 presidential race.
“I want to caution Nigerians that what Babangida did to me should be signal that they have to be careful with the man Babangida. He wants to be president at all cost and I have told him that he cannot be president,” Daboh vowed.
