IBB Tall Dreams, a Lesson for Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

His Eight years of military misrule is hunting IBB badly. That is why in life, we must make every effort to do it right the first time and we will be rest assured that history will be kind to us. Unfortunately for General Babangida, he had eight solid years and he wasted it. Reading Kasim Afegbua's article as to Babangida's right to contest the 2011 election, a sane Nigeria will start wondering if Babangida's achievements as military Head of State is unsurpassed in Nigeria's history then what does he want as president again?

Let him stay aside and work for a good candidate as a kingmaker. At 70 years Babangida even said he is an old man. We need young honest persons like Nuhu Ribadu, Tunde Fashola, Adams Oshiomhole or even Dora Akunyili.When one reads newspapers like the Sun, Leadership and lately Nigerian Tribune, one is still wondering what IBB's so called achievements are in his eight years of maladministration. In addition to the US$12.4 billion he is indicted in the Dr Pius Okigbo reports to have stolen, he is the number one enemy of democracy in Nigeria for single-handedly annulling the June 12, 1993 election.

If IBB now want to participate in democracy, he must explain to Nigerians in plain language why he annulled the June 12, 1993 election.Certainly IBB must know that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. He who wants equity must do equity or must have been seen to have done equity. Unfortunately for General Babangida alias IBB, he has failed these two basic tests to start with for the simple fact that he hated democracy with a passion when he was the military head of state. His banning and un-banning and re-banning of politicians like Bamanga Tukur, Adamu Chiroma, Olu Falae, Iwuanyanwu and many others are still very fresh in our minds which he capped it all the annulment of the freest and fairest election ever held in Nigeria.We are still waiting for IBB to tell Nigerians why he annulled June 12 election and follow it up with an apology.General Babangida knows that in a free and fair election, he can never win in Niger State.

As for his achievements in office as a military Head of State, those of us old enough to decipher good from bad will readily remember that IBB met our Naira stronger then the US dollars. where One Naira was fetching Two US dollars in 1985, while the British pound sterling was about 75 Kobo. By the time IBB was chased out of Aso Rock Villa by bloody civilians in 1993, he has bastardised the Naira to sell for 80 Naira to One US dollars and 145 Naira to the pound sterling. Since then, the Naira has never recovered.It is on record that the Nigerian educational system was killed 'patapata' finally by IBB and his boys. In 1988, 1989 and 1990, all university students in Nigeria lost one academic year because students embarked on anti-SAP riots and IBB stone-heartedly closed all universities and polytechnics in Nigeria for one year. That was the first and only time in Nigeria's academic system students lost a whole academic session. Even Kasim Afegbua was affected.

When Babangida staged his palace coup in August 1985, the Nigeria Airways, the Nigeria Railway Corporations were all functional. I remember flying Nigeria airways to Maiduguri even in 1987. The Trains still ply the Kano- Lagos route but by the time IBB was chased out in 1993, the Railways and Nigeria Airways have become history. It was then in 1987 we were told that flying was not for the poor.

Ditto for NITEL, it was still functional when IBB staged his coup but by the time he stepped aside in 1993, the NITEL had crumbled.Nigerians should note that one is not wiping up sentiment or castigating General Babangida because he wants to aspire to be president of Nigeria again. No we are just trying to set the records straight which can be checked in the archives of the various ministries and department. We are just letting people know that all the press statements by the Kasim Afegbuas are blatant lies.

A good leader must always take responsibility for acts and actions and apologise when necessary. But not IBB, he always wants power and authority but without responsibility. That is not the quality of a good leader.Times and times again we have stated the fact that it was the irresponsible divide and rule antics of IBB that brought us to this stage where we are now in Nigeria where once beautiful Northern Nigerian cities like Jos, Kaduna, Bauchi are in ruins and are divided along religious lines. The IBB military misrule is the genesis.Of course it is on record that he killed more military officers than even during the civil war. The 212 officers killed in the Ejigbo Air Force aircraft crash of 1992, the phantom coup of Mamman Vatsa, the Gideon Orkar coup where the best officers from the middle-belt and the south were murdered.

It was General Babangida's policy that all the military aircrafts, the naval ships and all Army tanks were grounded so that they could not stage coup again him. In fact training was suspended by his military regime.Finally to cap his maladministration, and his hatred for democracy, IBB annulled June 12, formed a contraception called Interim National Government (ING) under E. Shonekan and left his boy the goggle general there to stage his own coup. Nigerians are all aware of the outcome of the Sani Abacha military regime.

This was despite the fact that he had stolen $12.4 billion from the Nigerian state.We are looking forward to seeing IBB on the national TV for the presidential debate. It is then we will have the chance to know why he annulled June 12 election, why he stole $12.4 billion dollars from the treasury, why he killed Dele Giwa, Why he refused to attend the Oputa panel, why he bastardised the Naira, why he introduced religion into the Nigerian body polity and finally why he thinks he can benefit from democracy which he hated with a passion put together with eight years military misrule which was disastrous and term the locust years of Nigeria.

IBB sir, he who comes to equity must surely come with cleans, after annulling June 12, 1993, do you really think your hands are clean to benefit from a democratic election?We leave the rest to Nigerians to decide. Dr Goodluck Jonathan must give us the option A4 system of voting so that our vote must count and counted. That is the only legacy he can leave for himself and his family. Otherwise he will be struggling just like IBB to come back to power again but his sins will find him out. Always do it right the first time.

IBB failed the first time especially when he wasted eight years and he has nothing to offers Nigerians at 70 years. Doctors call his type geriatric. We have far better younger Nigerians with better idea not crude SAPpy ideas as was seen when OBJ his boss and buddy was re-cycled.

Nigerians have seen when young talented Nigerians like Nuhu Ribadu, Nasir El-Rufai, Dr Ngozi Aweala, Dr Oby Ezekwesili has performed if given the opportunity.

Ndiameeh Babrik
[email protected]

Originating at huhuonline.com