Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has again called on Nigerian opposition parties to remove the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from power.
Atiku made the suggestion in a post on social media to wish Nigeria’s former Head of State, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), a happy birthday.
Minna-born Babangida, popularly known as IBB, was the military president of Nigeria from 1985 to 1993.
Speaking on the Babangida administration, Atiku said: ”I believe that the IBB administration pursued altruistic goals in its moral quest for a nation where our diversity could be effectively managed through a shared commitment to unity. IBB’s federalist orientation is evident in the composition of his administration.
”Today, unlike in the past, we witness the troubling display of bigotry and ethnocentric divisions in our nation, with individuals in positions of authority often promoting such divisive behaviours.
”Regrettably, contemporary politics has become polarized as some politicians hold the misguided belief that power must be pursued at any cost.
”As we commemorate General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida on his 83rd birthday, let us reflect on our values regarding national unity and the promotion of Nigeria as a nation where primordial tendencies have no place for growth.
”It is the desire for such a rebirth that I am again calling on opposition political parties in the country to come together and make our democracy worth its name.”
He noted that IBB’s military career and his political roles embraced inclusive politics, adding that they define aspects of his enigmatic persona.
”In an era overshadowed by the divisive forces of ethnoreligious prejudice in our national politics, IBB serves as a reminder of the importance of striving for unity in diversity,” he noted.
