THE  leadership of the Southern Forum has given- some conditions which former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida,  must fulfil to qualify to contest the presidency in the 2011 elections.

The former military despot is one of the political gladiators angling to slug it out with the incumbent president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, even as the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has given the president the green light to contest the election.

However, the Southern Forum in a statement made available to Sunday Tribune said that IBB, though qualified to contest the presidency, must fulfil certain conditions before he can get the support of the South West zone.

The forum in the statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief (Dr.) Dejo Raimi and Publicity Secretary, Honourable Kehinde Ayoola, said that, among others, the former military dictator should bring along with him the late Chief MKO Abiola and the late Mr. Dele Giwa whenever he is coming to the South West to launch his presidential campaign.

In the release entitled, “That Babangida May Win 2011 Elections,” the group said, “we have watched, with keen interest, the various calculations, permutations and debates on who should be or which zone should produce the next president of Nigeria in 2011.

“One of the names being bandied about as a possible candidate in the next presidential election is General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd), former military president between August 1985 and August 1993.”

It noted that IBB was qualified to run for the highest public office in the land, having served in various capacities in the military for 31 years before beocoming the president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces in 1985.

The forum also observed that the South West was very critical to the realisation of IBB’s presidential ambition in 2011, adding that every astute politician knows the importance of the zone in the quest for democratic development.

The forum, in what appears to be a mockery of the former dictator’s presidential ambition, said that failure of his initial bid to launch his campaign in Ibadan last July nothwithstanding, he would once again seek to launch another campaign in the zone very soon.

“On the new date that IBB may choose to relaunch the campaign in Ibadan, he must come with Moshood Kashimowo Abiola (MKO) and Dele Giwa to Mapo Hall and pay subsequent courtesy calls on the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadan and other monarchs.

“He must also come with a petition and sworn affidavit in support of his election, jointly signed and agreed upon by all those Nigerians who lost their means of livelihood as a result of his Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) as well as all those thousands that lost their lives during the demonstrations in support of the validation of the June 12, 1993 elections.

“The organisation of this rally has been estimated to cost 12.4 billion dollars and we must receive the amount one week before the date.

“He should also furnish us and indeed all Nigerians with the believable details or particulars of items that he forgot in Aso Rock Villa during his eight year rulership when he was not only in government, but also in power”.

The forum said that it is only when he fulfils the conditions that he can get the support of the people in the South West.

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