By Gabriel Enogholase
BENIN — Ahead of the 2011 presidential election, a group supporting the emergence of former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), as the next President of the country, yesterday in Benin, Edo State, met at the Benin residence of Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (rtd) to articulate how the former Head of State would actualise his ambition.

The group, Campaign Network for Ibrahim Babangida, CNI, said that they were supporting the former Head of State, for the 2011 presidential race because of his antecedent and achievements while in office.
Spokesman for the group, Mr. Clem Iriata, described the former head of state as a detribalised Nigerian, who touched the lives of every segment of the Nigerian society while he was at the helm of affairs of the country.

According to him, “IBB never discriminated against any section of the country. Virtually all his ministers, advisers and key appointments were held by people from all the six geo-political zones of the country. He took merit into consideration while making such appointments. He built bridges across the geographical divides of this country, he understand the problems of Nigeria and would be able to provide solutions if giving the of opportunity once again”.

Without sounding immodest, most of the structures on ground in the country today were built by him. It is unfortunate that former President Olusegun Obasanjo demolished most of them during his eight years tenure in office.”

“As a human being, he may have made one mistake of the other, but that is not enough to say that he should not be giving the opportunity by Nigerians to govern the country once again”

They appealed to Nigerians to support his presidential ambition, saying that there are a lot the country would gain if he was allow a second chance.