April 10, 2010
In the last few weeks Nigerians have been inundated with reports and recent confirmation of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida's egregious desire and quest to return as Nigeria’s ruler. The development is profoundly grave and deeply disturbing.
In the last few weeks Nigerians have been inundated with reports and recent confirmation of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida's egregious desire and quest to return as Nigeria’s ruler. The development is profoundly grave and deeply disturbing.
In political settings where public officials are held accountable for their actions, somebody with Mr. Babangida’s history of numerous manifest crimes against Nigeria and Nigerians would have long been sentenced to a stiff jail term and permanently barred from participation in his country’s public affairs. Babangida’s ambition to maneuver himself once more into power is arrogant, condescending and downright insensitive to the feelings of Nigerians whose affairs he ruined during his term as military dictator.
It is certain that the outcome of Babangida’s inordinate presidential run will depend on Nigerians’ collective resistance or acquiescence. Enlightened Nigerians cannot afford inaction or consent by default in the face of the avoidable train wreck that is a Babangida presidency.
There is no question that, in the coming weeks and months, unscrupulous Nigerian politicians, hired hagiographers and commentators, will come out in droves to champion Babangida and to try to rewrite his tragic history. Many of these would-be praise singers have a record for contributing to the ruination of Nigeria through their own corrupt practices.
We are confident, however, that Babangida will be stopped by the strong will of the vast majority of decent, conscientious Nigerians. These forward-looking citizens have every reason to stoutly defend the right of Nigeria to move away from her sordid past embodied and represented by the likes of Babangida. They have the energy, passion and vision to ensure the transformation of Nigeria into a 21st century nation that is able to serve the legitimate aspirations of her citizenry and to command the respect of other nations.
Nigeria should move forward, not backward. The country abounds with talent, at home and abroad, able to arrest her stagnation and turn her into an enviable, even model, polity. The Babangidas in our midst only know how to take Nigeria further away from the path of meaningful development and significant progress.
To reward Babangida with Nigeria’s highest political office despite his atrocities would indeed establish a terrible precedence and encourage political leaders in the continued destruction of Nigeria. Surely, this is not the kind of signal Nigerians want to send.
The Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum (NDLF) is aware of the ill-advised encouragement that some foreign governments have provided Babangida. We condemn in the strongest terms this attempt by foreign powers to foist a certified disaster on the Nigerian people, a move bound to perpetuate and deepen Nigeria’s crisis of development and stultified democracy.
In order to register the outrage and resistance of Nigerians, NDLF will forward a petition letter; http://petition.ndlf-ng.org with signatures of Nigerians to the US government as well as other governments in Europe that may be goading Babangida to steal power.
This petition should serve as the cry of millions of Nigerians who say NO TO IBB and to the foreign governments around the world that may be sponsoring him. This signature petition drive is one of numerous activities NDLF intends to embark upon to STOP IBB and his likes from continuing to hold Nigeria hostage.
We also encourage individuals in their own ways to mount a campaign against Babangida in an effort to take our country back. We enjoin Nigeria’s labor unions, civil organizations, professional bodies, artisans, religious groups, and ethnic group associations to rise in rejection of a Babangida presidency. IBB poses such a serious threat to the interests of Nigerians that we should forge a mass movement to demand that Nigeria must move forward and say NO TO IBB.
If you believe that Nigeria should not be sacrificed to Babangida’s unpatriotic and nefarious whims and egotistical ambitions, please sign the petition; http://petition.ndlf-ng.org We also urge you to forward it to ALL the Nigerian contacts in your email box – and persuade them to sign.
You can also print copies of the petition and hand it to Nigerians in the streets, churches, mosques, and homes. Explain to them that the stakes are high – and they need to make their voices heard. Signed copies of the petition should be emailed to [email protected]. Please avoid apathy and indifference. Be involved in this struggle to free our beloved country.
Go to http://petition.ndlf-ng.org and make your voice heard. FREE NIGERIA: SAY NO TO IBB
Signed
Mr. Bukola Oreofe
Executive Director
Ms Lilian Agbeyegbe
Director, Policy Development and Implementation Bureau
Dr. Willie Nwiido
Director, Public Affairs and International relations
NIGERIA DEMOCRATIC LIBERTY FORUM (NDLF)
"Patriots Never Keep Mute"
In political settings where public officials are held accountable for their actions, somebody with Mr. Babangida’s history of numerous manifest crimes against Nigeria and Nigerians would have long been sentenced to a stiff jail term and permanently barred from participation in his country’s public affairs. Babangida’s ambition to maneuver himself once more into power is arrogant, condescending and downright insensitive to the feelings of Nigerians whose affairs he ruined during his term as military dictator.
It is certain that the outcome of Babangida’s inordinate presidential run will depend on Nigerians’ collective resistance or acquiescence. Enlightened Nigerians cannot afford inaction or consent by default in the face of the avoidable train wreck that is a Babangida presidency.
There is no question that, in the coming weeks and months, unscrupulous Nigerian politicians, hired hagiographers and commentators, will come out in droves to champion Babangida and to try to rewrite his tragic history. Many of these would-be praise singers have a record for contributing to the ruination of Nigeria through their own corrupt practices.
We are confident, however, that Babangida will be stopped by the strong will of the vast majority of decent, conscientious Nigerians. These forward-looking citizens have every reason to stoutly defend the right of Nigeria to move away from her sordid past embodied and represented by the likes of Babangida. They have the energy, passion and vision to ensure the transformation of Nigeria into a 21st century nation that is able to serve the legitimate aspirations of her citizenry and to command the respect of other nations.
Nigeria should move forward, not backward. The country abounds with talent, at home and abroad, able to arrest her stagnation and turn her into an enviable, even model, polity. The Babangidas in our midst only know how to take Nigeria further away from the path of meaningful development and significant progress.
To reward Babangida with Nigeria’s highest political office despite his atrocities would indeed establish a terrible precedence and encourage political leaders in the continued destruction of Nigeria. Surely, this is not the kind of signal Nigerians want to send.
The Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum (NDLF) is aware of the ill-advised encouragement that some foreign governments have provided Babangida. We condemn in the strongest terms this attempt by foreign powers to foist a certified disaster on the Nigerian people, a move bound to perpetuate and deepen Nigeria’s crisis of development and stultified democracy.
In order to register the outrage and resistance of Nigerians, NDLF will forward a petition letter; http://petition.ndlf-ng.org with signatures of Nigerians to the US government as well as other governments in Europe that may be goading Babangida to steal power.
This petition should serve as the cry of millions of Nigerians who say NO TO IBB and to the foreign governments around the world that may be sponsoring him. This signature petition drive is one of numerous activities NDLF intends to embark upon to STOP IBB and his likes from continuing to hold Nigeria hostage.
We also encourage individuals in their own ways to mount a campaign against Babangida in an effort to take our country back. We enjoin Nigeria’s labor unions, civil organizations, professional bodies, artisans, religious groups, and ethnic group associations to rise in rejection of a Babangida presidency. IBB poses such a serious threat to the interests of Nigerians that we should forge a mass movement to demand that Nigeria must move forward and say NO TO IBB.
If you believe that Nigeria should not be sacrificed to Babangida’s unpatriotic and nefarious whims and egotistical ambitions, please sign the petition; http://petition.ndlf-ng.org We also urge you to forward it to ALL the Nigerian contacts in your email box – and persuade them to sign.
You can also print copies of the petition and hand it to Nigerians in the streets, churches, mosques, and homes. Explain to them that the stakes are high – and they need to make their voices heard. Signed copies of the petition should be emailed to [email protected]. Please avoid apathy and indifference. Be involved in this struggle to free our beloved country.
Go to http://petition.ndlf-ng.org and make your voice heard. FREE NIGERIA: SAY NO TO IBB
Signed
Mr. Bukola Oreofe
Executive Director
Ms Lilian Agbeyegbe
Director, Policy Development and Implementation Bureau
Dr. Willie Nwiido
Director, Public Affairs and International relations
NIGERIA DEMOCRATIC LIBERTY FORUM (NDLF)
"Patriots Never Keep Mute"
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