"Obasanjo, IBB can’t determine Buhari’s 2nd term ambition"

Former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brig- Gen. Idada Ikponmwen (retd), yesterday, said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida lack the moral justification to ask President Muhammadu Buhari not to run for second term.


Ikponmwen, who is reacting to the letters written by both former Presidents to President Buhari, insisted that apart from President Buhari himself and Nigerians, no other person can stop him (Buhari), saying: “If those of them who are writing letters now had fixed Nigeria when they were in power, Nigerians would not be suffering today.”

Debunking insinuations that retired military officers may be plotting against the re-election bid of Buhari, he said: “Whereas there were some obvious truth in what both of them had said, that notwithstanding, they do not have the moral justification to say what they had said. No moral justification, because these two people had the opportunity to make this country better than what it is now, but they failed, they could not do it. Besides, this is democracy, everybody has the right to vote and be voted for.

“The ultimate decision will lie first with him, whether he wants to contest or not. Secondly, is the party ready to field him or not? Then Nigerians will make the final decision. I think it is premature and undesirable for anybody to rule out Buhari now.”