Babangida, on Wednesday denied turning
down a breakfast invitation from President
Goodluck Jonathan, saying no such invitation
was extended to him by the president.
A media report said on Tuesday that the
former military president rebuffed the
invitation by Mr. Jonathan. A statement
from the former ruler's aides said the report was
utterly false, adding that at no time did Mr.
Jonathan invite Mr. Babangida to a dinner let alone
turning it down. It said Mr. Babangida had visited
the president more than twice since the latter
assumed office and that the meeting afforded the
two leaders the opportunity to brainstorm on the
challenges confronting the country. It added that
by the report it would seem that there was bad
blood between both leaders.
"The attention of General Ibrahim Babangida,
GCFR, former President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, has been drawn to a newspaper
publication stating that the former President turned
down a breakfast invitation from His Excellency,
Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, President and
Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
To state the obvious, the said report is utterly
false. "Former President Ibrahim Babangida in his
usual humility respects the person and office of the
President of the Country, Dr. Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan, GCFR. "There was no time that the
President requested for a breakfast meeting with
General IBB, let alone turned down by the former
President.
In fact, former President IBB had visited President
Goodluck Jonathan more than twice since his
assumption of office, meetings which afforded the
two leaders the opportunity to brainstorm on the
challenges confronting the Country. "It is therefore
very unfair to the persons of former President
General Ibrahim Babangida and President Goodluck
Jonathan to be portrayed as if there was bad blood
between them," the statement said.
The statement added that "Having served this
Country before and knowing the enormity of the
challenges of governance, General Ibrahim
Babangida will be more than willing to have
unconditional breakfast meeting or any other
meeting for that matter with the President and
Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of
Nigeria."
While stating that the former military president
would be looking forward to an invitation from the
president, the statement said Mr. Babangida asked
the media to crosscheck their facts correctly before
publication. It also said that Mr. Babangida, as a
trained officer of the Nigeria military, was well
equipped with discipline and patriotism to
constituted authorities at different levels of
government.
"While General IBB will be looking forward to any of
such invitation now and in the near future, it is
important and appropriate on the part of the media
to always cross-check their facts correctly before
going around town with sensational headlines at
the detriment of bona fide citizens of Nigeria,
especially that of the President," the statement
said.
"As a trained officer of the Nigeria military, the
former President is equipped with discipline and
patriotism to constituted authorities at different
levels of government. Given this orientation
therefore, General IBB will honour an invitation
from his Ward Counselor without equivocation, let
alone an invitation from the number one citizen of
Nigeria. "If there was any reason to refuse any
invitation, General IBB will, in his humble manner,
formally inform his host or guest the reason why.
The publication under reference therefore is utterly
out of place and a concocted one aimed at putting
the two elder statesmen in bad light."
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