The pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari not to continue in government beyond 2019 continued to increase on Sunday.
This time around, the pressure is from former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB.
According to him, Buhari must go in 2019, having failed to fulfill the yearnings and aspirations of the Nigerian people.
Babangida’s campaign is contained in a statement issued by his spokesman, Kassim Afegbua.
After a review of the nation’s numerous problems and how the government has failed to address them, Babangida declared that Nigerians should make use of the opportunity of the 2019 election and vote Buhari out.
He however urged Nigerians to co-operate with Buhari pending the expiration of his term.
His words: “We need new ways and new approaches in our political order. We need a national rebirth. We need a rebranded Nigeria and rebranded politics.
“It is not so much for the people, but for the institutions that are put in place to promote our political engagements. We must strengthen the one man one vote mantra.
“It is often ridiculous for me when people use smaller countries in our West Africa sub-region as handy references of how democracy should be. It beggars our giant of Africa status.
“The next election in 2019 therefore presents us a unique opportunity to reinvent the will and provoke fresh leadership that would immediately begin the process of healing the wounds in the land and ensuring that the wishes and aspirations of the people are realized in building and sustaining national cohesion and consensus.
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“I pray the Almighty Allah grant us the gift of good life to witness that glorious dawn in 2019. Amen.
“I have not written an open letter to the President, I have just shared my thoughts with fellow compatriots on the need to enthrone younger blood into the mainstream of our political leadership starting from 2019.”
It would be recalled that Babangida overthrew Buhari in a military coup in 1985 and ruled till 1993.
Babangida’s campaign against Buhari is coming about two weeks after former President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote a similar statement warning Buhari not to contest the 2019 election for his second term.
Obasanjo said rather, Buhari should join the league of leaders who would operate on the sideline to offer direction to those who would lead the nation to the Promised Land.
He also suggested the birth of a movement in the form of Nigeria Coalition Movement for the movement of the nation to the next political level.
The movement has since been formed and Obasanjo has registered as a member as promised.
