Former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu has said that former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has supported him with prayers in his presidential aspiration.
The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) told journalists after a closed door meeting with General Babangida that his consultation was in relation to his bid to become president of Nigeria in 2023.
“So, he gave me his prayers. You want to know the outcome of the consultation? We are running a democracy, I took my decision voluntarily and I am running for the Presidency of the country, we are running a democracy,” he said while talking to journalists after about one hour meeting with IBB.
Tinubu who got the tacit support of Niger State Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello when he visited him earlier to show empathy over the incessant bandits attacks in the state, noted that there was no way he will be in Niger State without consulting with General Babangida.
He also said his visit to the former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida was to get his blessings to actualize his presidential aspiration.
Asked on his main mission to Niger State, he said, “If you restrict my visit to this house that is it. Generally, I came to Niger State to commiserate with the governor and the people of Niger State. And so, I can’t stop by without paying a courtesy call to the enigma General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.”
“When I made the declaration, I told you that I am still consulting and I will consult as widely as possible,” he added.
Meanwhile when he visited the governor of Niger State Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu donated N50 million to victims of banditry attacks in the state through the state government.
He urged Nigerians not to see the ongoing security challenges in the country as a hopeless situation, noting that, with self-belief and prayers the situation can be remedied.
“We share in your grief, am here for the people of Niger State, hearing and reading of disasters, banditry and cattle rustling every day, just like what happened on Wednesday again,” he said.
In his response, the Niger State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello said Nigerians are looking forward to seeing the national leader of APC lay foundation for Nigeria as he did in Lagos State.
He posited thus “ Lagos is a country within a country and we saw the foundation you laid there; we are looking forward to seeing you replicate it for Nigeria.”
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello appreciated the former Lagos State governor for empathising with the state government and people over the incessant banditry attacks.
He lamented that nowhere is safe in the country and recounted how some villagers in Mashegu were murdered in cold blood by bandits while observing their early morning prayers in the mosque.
“Where are we safe, in a place of worship, people can be killed, we are not dealing with human being, but people whose heart has been cemented for evil, no amount of talking or dialogue can change them,” he added.
He asserted that time has come for the country to change its approach to the ongoing war against banditry and terrorism from conventional warfare to a technologically driven warfare.
“We don’t fight conventional warfare, let’s use technology even though it is expensive, the situation can be addressed that way. The era of sending soldiers to the forest is over when we can deploy drones to monitor movement of bandits and hit target effortlessly,” he declared.
