By Danlami Nmodu
Former military president of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida, has debunked a report that he “turned down a breakfast invitation from His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan”.IBB as he is fondly called said, the “report is Utterly False”.
A statement by office of General Ibrahim Babangida on Wednesday said ,“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.”
According to the statement,“ 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. 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 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.
Presidential Spokesman,Reuben Abati had also furiously denied the report which he said was demeaning.
Read the full text of IBB’s Statement below:
RE: BREAKFAST MEETING.
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. 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 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.
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.
We hope the media will take correction and reflect these views accordingly and
with similar prominence.
ISSUED FROM;
OFFICE OF GENERAL IBRAHIM BABANGIDA.
1, IBB ROAD, UPHILL
MINNA.
