Fiery Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawhinmi (SAN), has advised former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida to drop the idea of contesting the 2007 presidential election, saying it would not fly.

•Ibrahim Babangida PHOTO: Sun News Publishing

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Babangida, in a much-publicized interview on Saturday had declared his intention to contest the election if nominated by a political party.

Asked categorically if he would contest the 2007 poll, Babangida said: "If I get the nomination of my party, I will contest. Yes, I’m ready for 2007."

But in his reaction weekend, Gani claimed Babangida has neither the moral nor political right to seek to lead the country once again.

Unlike Gani, however, former Information Minister, Chief Alex Akinyele, National Chairman, National Democratic Party (NDP), Alhaji Habu Fari and Senator Joseph Waku were of the opinion that not only does Babangida have the right to contest, but that he is also the saviour Nigeria has been waiting for.

Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN)

Babangida has no moral right, no political right to say he wants to rule Nigeria again. We cannot tolerate him again. We will not forget his atrocities. The question will be asked about how Dele Giwa was killed, how he mismanaged our economy and how MKO Abiola died.

Babangida’s decision to vie for election in 2007 is partly a consequence of the failure of President Obasanjo’s administration and decadence of the society.

During IBB’s tenure, Nigeria witnessed unprecedented corruption in the affairs of the country. By deciding to come out in 2007, IBB and Obasanjo will account for their misdeeds and will be consumed together.

Babangida’s emergence will be a disaster for Obasanjo and all those in their clique who have conspired against the Nigerian people, not only in respect of June 12 but in the way they have destroyed the economy of the people between 1985 and 1993 and between 1999 and 2006. The time has come for the two of them to pay for their misdeeds.

Since 26th of August 1993 when he was disgraced out of office as a result of his callous and ungodly cancellation of the June 12 election, he has no credential to come out for 2007 presidential election given the way he had governed this country and the way he deceived this country for eight years. He has no moral right to come out again.

He believes he can rig anything but he won’t succeed. We will not forget his atrocities. Nigerians should not allow him.

Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN)

I marvel at the cheek of a man like that saying he wants to come back. It is like fingering the nation in the eyes. He should go and bury his head in shame and allow the country to rest. He should forget about it not only in 2007, but even for life. He should rather go to his retirement and be quietly begging God for forgiveness.

This is a man that destroyed our economy, destroyed our naira through his doomed SAP programme. This same man so much elevated corruption and entrenched 419 in our system. He destroyed our democracy and took us many years back through his devilish annulment of June 12. It is really an insult to the nation for him to even mention it that he wants to come back. No nation can tolerate such a leader in its history for a second time. It is a great insult to our psyche.

He is not even fit to walk as a free man after all he’s done to destroy the nation. For the sake of emphasis, no nation with divergent ethnic groupings like Nigeria can allow the return of a person like IBB and still remain one united entity. It is impossible, it can’t happen."

Senator Joseph Waku

His declaration makes the process exciting. It is a healthy situation. I have been his fan for years except that we don’t belong to the same party now. He is eminently qualified; he is a citizen of Nigeria who can aspire to the position of presidency. The choice is for Nigerians to decide whether they want him back. Only Nigerians can determine his fate in this case.

Tam David-West

Let him contest. He is qualified to contest but he has no moral right to contest. And nobody should vote for Babangida. He has nothing to offer. I worked with him. I have said that in severed articles. He has a right to contest as a citizen, but nobody should vote for him.

What moral ground has a man who annulled the freest and fairest election we have had in Nigeria to aspire to govern the country? He is coming back to do what? I am prepared to lead a campaign against him. I would do everything possible to stop him in his track. I would lead a campaign against him throughout the length and breadth of this country.

Nobody should vote for Babangida. He has nothing to offer. I would not only campaign against him, I would write articles against him. I challenge him, let him come out and be on television (debate) with me. I would give reasons why he should not be president. I challenge him to a television debate. Babangida has nothing to offer.

Admiral Augustus Aikhomu

"He couldn’t have said he would contest. That is the mischief of the press."

When told that Babangida actually said he would contest if given his party’s nomination, he said "call me back, I want to make consultations" and hung up the phone.

Chief Matthew Mbu

Every Nigerian that is qualified to vie for election can do so. Every Nigerian who is eligible for election can vie for any position, including ordinary citizens and Generals.

I’m not in position to tell the electorate what they will decide. The decision as to who should be the president or whatever office depends on the people.

We of the South-South have decided that when President Obasanjo goes we will produce a candidate. That is our stand. Everybody is entitled and eligible to seek elective office as provided in the constitution.

Moshood Erubami, President, Campaign for Democracy

Our reaction is natural. That we ill not allow anybody to come back to government in Nigeria that will set agenda for our under development.

We will do every to ensure that he does not become president again in this country. He has the right to express the intention to come back as a Nigerian. But it is for us Nigerians to know who is better and who can do well in our life. Definitely, Nigerians will be mobilized against his intention to come back after stepping aside for years.

The campaign for Democracy is tired of infidels and political destitute. We cannot afford to recycle our bad leaders. To that extent we will mobilize Nigerians to reject IBB and Obasanjo in government.

Those who want him back are Nigerians who are interested in their pockets. They are the same people that have always championed the coming back of infidels in power because of what they will reap. Such people are very few against majority of Nigerians that have been impoverished by the policies and programmes of Babangida and the like.

And nobody that has suffered the seven years of Obasanjo’s regime would wish that Babangida should replace him. Nigerians can not afford that. Everybody should be ready including the media. The media should join hands with the people to be the voice of the voiceless so that Babangida, Obasanjo and Atiku will not come back to power.

Chief Mike Ahamba SAN

Every qualified Nigerian is entitled to run. I won’t vote for him, I have my own candidate. He has a right to run and probably fail.

Babangida has predicated his intention to run on his being nominated by his party. In that party, you have Nigerians. If the Nigerians in that party nominate him, he is entitled to run. But we of the ANPP promise them that whoever they bring forward we shall have a counter poise candidate who will deal with such a person.

Alhaji Habu Fari, chairman, NDP

We have millions of voters in Nigeria. And if somebody that comes from a place that has only 10 people is shouting he would not vote Babangida, God help him.

Babangida is indispensable. Right from the time we were born, he has been part and parcel of it. If you look at him, he’s not somebody who wants to run on his own. There is a lot of pressure on him to save the situation. Apparently, he is the only one that can save us now.

We in the NDP have seen in Babangida that he is the only saviour. That is why we went to him. And we thank God that he has accepted to contest the election. And definitely, if you go through what he said, you will know the party he is going to is NDP and we are waiting for him.

Chief Alex Akinyele

It has been a great happiness. Many people doubted the possibility of his running. As the National Chairman of the Nigerian Project, which is the umbrella campaign organization of IBB for 2007, people have worried me so much to the extent that they didn’t believe me. In fact, the last meeting we had in Abuja I had to tell them that they don’t see what I see and don’t know what I know. That IBB will not be comfortable that we are sacrificing our time, our life if he’s not going into the race.

And now I’ve been vindicated. I’m a happy man.

His chances? IBB’s chances are absolutely broad. The entire world has been waiting for this hour when he will declare. We have 36 states chairman who are working on this project. If you come across 10 people, eight of them are asking for IBB, saying what is he waiting for?

Now that he’s declared, the whole world is waiting for him.