As part of his consultation to fortify his chances of becoming the president in 2023, Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has disclosed that his visit to the former military president, Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd) was to get his blessings.
He told journalists after a closed door meeting with the former military leader at his uphill country home uphill in Minna that there was no way he would visit Niger State and not pay courtesy call and receive prayers. While responding to questions on why he visited Babangida, Tinubu 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 Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, retired. “So, he gave me his prayers.
You want to know outcome of the consultation? We are running a democracy, I took my decision voluntarily and I am running for the presidency of the country. Thank you very much and God bless you. “When I made the declaration, I told you that I am still consulting and I will consult as widely as possible.” Speaking earlier when he visited Governor Abubakar Sani Bello in Government House, Minna, he assured that he will work with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that all about insecurity becomes a thing of the past. He said: “For the country to overcome insecurity challenges, it must get the right technology to fight and eliminate bandits and every criminal element. “We will defend Nigeria democracy and its sovereignty, and no government will sit down and be happy seeing these things happen, especially maiming, killing of people and taking away their livelihoods.
“We will take the battle to them and we will win. We need to get the necessary technology in place to end insecurity across the nation. To address the issue of rustling, the government needs to put improved systems to encourage animal husbandry.” Tinubu added that this government, while awaiting the incoming government, would ensure total stability in the country before it winds up. In his remarks, Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, lamented the rate at which insecurity has a ruined parts of the state, noting, “to succeed over banditry, the government must use technology like satellite and not the conventional method.