Media aide to former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida says the statement he issued earlier on Sunday was approved by his boss. Babangida disowned the statement credited to him that he advised Nigerians to do away with analogue leaders and embrace those of the digital age. Prince Kassim Afegbua had released the statement titled, ”Towards a National Rebirth”.
"In the fullness of our present realities, we need to cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari to complete his term of office on May 29, 2019 and collectively prepare the way for new generation leaders to assume the mantle of leadership of the country,” Babangida was quoted as advising President Muhammadu Buhari.“While offering this advice, I speak as a stakeholder, former President, concerned Nigerian and a patriot who desires to see new paradigms in our shared commitment to get this country running.
"While saying this also, I do not intend to deny President Buhari his inalienable right to vote and be voted for, but there comes a time in the life of a nation, when personal ambition should not override national interest.”But the former Nigerian leader, in another statement signed by him, noted that he had easy access to the president and that where necessary, he would speak to him in camera, not resorting to open letter. Babaginda said the views expressed in the earlier statement were not his views but that of the writer.
However, in his reaction to Babangida’s rebuttal, Afegbua said he had never got a rebuttal after releasing a statement on behalf of his boss.“I extracted a commitment from him (Babangida) before I issued that statement. The former military president authorised the statement I issued. I didn’t just put out the statement on my own" Kassim Afegbua said on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics. According to him, Babangida's friends and supporters who love him more than he loves himself felt the first statement pitched the former head of state against Buhari.
"So, when the statement came on board, and when some of his friends saw the twist and how the social media sensationalise it, they felt we were trying to put the former president on a collision course with the President. So, to that extent, they went and did a statement to deny that.”Afegbua said Babangida, in a telephone conversation, assured that the statement stood and that it was not a figment of his imagination.
Tags
Politics