June 12: Kingibe’s award to prepare him for president – Balarabe Musa

A Former governor of Kaduna state, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, has that the real motive for giving Chief M.K.O Abiola a post-humous honour and recognising June 12 as Democracy Day “is to promote the presidential candidacy of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe.” Speaking yesterday to Blueprint, the leader of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) said the plot started sometime last year when it was believed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s health challenge “will impede his second term bid.” Balarabe, who said the game-plan “is still on,” added that the plot “is being hatched by the cabal in the presidency but he didn’t mention names.’ The former governor also didn’t say whether the plan “is for Kingigbe to succeed Buhari in 2019 or 2023.” He said: “The plan is to use this recognition of June 12 and award as a means of promoting Kingibe.
This plan of promoting Kingibe for the presidency of Nigeria started sometime ago, when there was the feeling that Buhari couldn’t make it due to his health challenge, for the 2019 presidential election.
“And there was a conspiracy to search for someone who can be used to placate the north and in particular, the north east.
And from my experience of how these things are being arranged in the history of Nigeria, remember we have been relevant in the politics of Nigeria since 1950.
My calculation is that the game-plan is still on.
And you know that Kingibe is in a central position in the presidency and APC.” Balarabe, who said that he didn’t want to further delve into the controversy, said that he had raised the issue “so that Nigerians can debate it and stop the country from making another mistake.” “I just don’t want to us to drag Nigeria from one bad choice to another.
In 2015, we said ’anyone but PDP and Jonathan.’ We got APC and Buhari.
And now, some people are saying anybody but APC and Buhari and they want to bring in Kingibe.” When pressed to shed more light on his claim, Balarabe said “no, I don’t want to continue with this; I have said what I know and I want to help Nigerians not to continue making mistakes, one after the other.” The former governor of Kaduna state commended President Buhari for giving Abiola the post humous award.
He however said that other prominent Nigerians, who are now deceased, should also be given similar awards.
“In fact, in my commendation of Buhari, I took the matter further by asking him to recognise some Nigerians who had played patriotic roles in the history of Nigeria.
For example, I mentioned Herbert Macaulay who introduced a political party in Nigeria, by leading the NCNC.
“I also said that he should recognise Dr Nnamdi Azikwe who popularised NCNC.
He played nation-building roles in all his politics.
Throughout his life, he has never shown that he was an Ibo first and a Nigerian second.
In fact, the first thing that he did after becoming the leader of the NCNC was to appoint Sa’ad Zungur the National Secretary of the NCNC.
He was also the first person to make a non Ibo, Altine Mohammed, the Mayor of Enugu! These are patriotic acts that demonstrate that he is a true Nigerian.
Balarabe also said Malam Aminu Kano should be included amongst these pioneers and patriots that should be honoured.
‘’I also said that Labour Leader Number 1, Chief Michael Imodu, should be recognised.
He was the first person to organise a national strike which threatened colonialism.’’ Balarabe also recommended the wife of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, who preferred to die with her husband when the Coupists struck on January 15, 1966, adding that “that was a demonstration of loyalty.” According to him, Prof.
Dora Akunyili, who sacrificed her life to fight fake drug barons, should also be so honoured.

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