Presidency: IBB Leaves Options Open, PDP Symbol Not On Billboards, Posters

IBB’s campaign billboard without PDP symbol in Minna, Niger State. PHOTO: MUSA Aliyu.

•IBB’s campaign billboard without PDP symbol in Minna, Niger State. PHOTO: MUSA Aliyu.

•IBB’s campaign billboard without PDP symbol in Minna, Niger State. PHOTO: MUSA Aliyu.

Former military dictator, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd.) a.k.a. IBB may be  considering several options to actualise his ambition of contesting next year’s  presidential election.

This indication emerged after he could not explain to reporters why the symbol of the  People’s Democratic Party, PDP, is not on his campaign materials like billboards,  posters, flyers, etc.

A reporter had asked him during an interaction with journalists at his Minna residence  why he has not identified with PDP under whose platform he is contesting the presidential  election by using the party’s symbol on his campaign materials.

IBB retorted: “You didn’t see PDP flag there? When did you go there? Go and look again.  The PDP flag is there.” His reply turned out to be a lie as the only additional flag  flying in front and left hand side of his campaign office is a white flag with ‘IBB  Centre’ boldly written on it.

Some observers believe Babangida deliberately avoided using the PDP symbol, which is an  umbrella, on his campaign materials in case he fails to grab the party’s ticket at the  presidential primary, so that he could decamp to any party of his choice and the  materials could still be useful.

“It would amount to a sheer waste of funds if he fails to win the nomination of PDP as  hundreds of millions of naira have been spent to produce his campaign billboards, posters  and flyers,” an observer argued.

When our correspondent visited various locations where IBB’s campaign billboards were  mounted in Niger State, there was no PDP symbol on any of them.

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A visit to IBB Centre, his campaign headquarters near Mobil Roundabout on Bosso Road in  Minna, showed that there is no PDP flag or logo. The story is the same in all the  campaign offices in Niger State.

As the odds mount against IBB, who has collected the PDP nomination form for N11 million,  filled and return it to the party’s headquarters in Abuja, the retired general is not  ready take chances over his ambition, hence the options he is toying with.

As if reading the writing on the wall, IBB had said last week that winning the PDP  primary is not a do-or-die affair.

He is still bitter about the zoning arrangement in his party which has not been honoured,  with President Goodluck Jonathan from the South-South geopolitical zone declaring his  desire to contest, thus narrowing IBB’s chances of clinching the party’s ticket.

Babangida’s chances have even become slimmer with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar  and former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau also joining the presidential race on  the platform of PDP. None of these heavyweights wants to step down for the other.

Unconfirmed reports say Babangida may dump the presidential race following pressure from  the northern elders, loyalists and his friends. This is to enable the North forge a  common front and come up with a consensus candidate that could give Jonathan a tough  fight at the party primary.

—Musa Aliyu/Minna

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