MINNA—FORMER Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, weekend, formally declared his interest to contest for the office of the President in the 2011 general elections asserting that the Okigbo Panel Report on the $12.4 billion Gulf Oil Windfall did not indict him for any acts of financial impropriety.

Babangida who had an interactive session with media editors said the time was ripe for him to serve the people as a civilian president as he had a lot of new policies that would positively change the lives of Nigerians.

DECLARATION: General Ibrahim Babangida, rtd (left) receiving a birthday card (signed by media chiefs present) from Mr. Sunmi Smart-Cole, Director of Photography, Thisday newspapers when Babangida met with senior journalists at his Minna home to formally declare his intention to run for the 2011 presidential elections, recently.

He said: “My desire and interest to offer my stewardship by vying for the office of President in the 2011 general elections stemmed from my belief and those of many other compatriots that our country needs an experienced and tested leader, who has a rich knowledge of the socio-economic and political dynamics of our people and country.

Without being immodest, I have implicit confidence that I fit into that consideration.

Highest office

“I believe you are aware of the robust debate as to whether or not I should contest the highest office in the land. In fact some people in their negative criticism continue to render acrimonious misrepresentation to distort and disparage my true character and general contributions, past and present towards the greatness of our dear country.”

Babangida who said his previous government was a military one and that he had seen over the years that many things could be done better, added: “I have also spent many years to understudy democratic leadership in several countries and have mastered the art of democracy and learnt how to apply it better under our Nigerian conditions.

More than ever before, IBB is back with a lot of new policies.”

On the annulment of June 12 1993 presidential elections, General Babangida said “severally and with great remorse too, I have taken responsibility as a true leader for the actions and decisions of the military administration that I led. The annulment of the June 12 election is one of the ugly spots one has to live with.

It was a collective decision taken after series of consultations with several stakeholders. I know that a day will come when Nigerians will forgive our regime because we are a godly nation that embraces the culture of forgiveness.”

On the Okigbo report, he said: “Many misinformed critics have been using the Okigbo Panel Report in the most blindly, controversial and distorted manner lacking fairness and morality. They dwell so much on a purported $12.4billion Gulf Oil Windfall.

“Let me state categorically that the Okigbo Panel was never a trial court for me. The Federal Government set up the Okigbo Panel to examine the operations and make recommendations on the re-organisation of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Its scope of reference was from 1988-94, way beyond my tenure. It was not a probe of the Babangida regime but one aimed at improving the operations of the CBN. The records are there for all to see.

Nowhere did it indict me for any acts of financial impropriety. Throughout the panel’s sitting, I was never subpoenaed”.

General Babangida stressed that he believed in the sanctity of life and stated “for the umpteenth time that I did not murder Dele Giwa. In addition, no agent or agency of government was found guilty of this heinous act by the law courts”.