Elections: IBB Advises Buhari on Insecurity, Commends Atiku on Doggedness

Elections: IBB Advises Buhari on Insecurity, Commends
Atiku on Doggedness
The 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections have come and
gone. These elections have produced a new president-elect and new
elected members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

I congratulate the Nigerian electorate who conducted themselves
peacefully during the voting process; they were enthusiastic to
exercise their democratic rights of electing candidates of their
choice. Sadly, due to violence in some part of the country, lives
were lost and I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to
their families for the death of their loved ones.

I wish to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on his
re-election to lead Nigeria in the next four years. I have observed
that, the electioneering campaign was very strenuous and the
contest very keen. That despite the turbulent terrain of politics,
the President submitted and subjected himself to this process.
Indeed is a clear testimony that he believes in the democratic
process and ideals.

The newly elected president should heal the wounds of the heated
campaign exchanges by embracing those who contested alongside with
him. The President must resist the temptation to see them as
enemies; not even opponents, but fellow compatriots who merely
disagreed with him on how best to move our country forward.

Now that the President has won his re-election bid, he should
confront with renewed vigour the most urgent problem confronting
Nigeria: ‘insecurity of lives and property’. The Boko Haram
insurgency remains a threat to many Nigerians particularly in the
North East sub region, while the twin evils of kidnapping and armed
robbery/armed banditry remain a major national menace. The
president must pay priority attention to these security issues.

The economy of the country must also occupy the president’s
urgent attention. There is the need to be more creative in
formulating policies that will improve the nation’s economy, create
employment opportunities and give hope to our teaming youths.

The President may wish to heed to the yearnings of reasonable
Nigerians for restructuring and seek all constitutional means to
devolve some powers presently exercised by the Federal Government
to the other tiers of government.

Let me commend and convey my admiration to the other contestants
for the office of president.
I was particularly impressed with the gallant and audacious spirit
of the main challenger in the presidential race, former Vice
President Atiku Abubakar GCON. I was not surprised that even though
he lost the most exotic position of the land, his doggedness and
pattern of support cut across ethnic, religious and regional lines
that earned him the second position of the last Presidential
election.

I call on the former Vice –President Atiku Abubakar to close
ranks and work with the winner of the election in an objective and
constructive manner so that democracy will continue to thrive in
our country at this crucial period of renaissance.

I urged him also to endeavour and prevail on his admirers to
eschew bitterness and violence. They must be prevailed upon to
understand that politics is a game in which there must be only one
winner.

I pray that the Almighty Allah will continue to guide our
democratic steps for peace and progress in our country.

General Ibrahim B Babangida GCFR
Former Military President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
2nd March 2019.