IBB’s apology should lead to national reconciliation, says Hashim

• Tinubu’s aide faults Osinbajo’s comment at book launch
• Centre asks EFCC to probe billions donated at launch

Former presidential candidate and businessman, Dr Gbenga Hashim, has commended former Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), for acknowledging his past mistakes and offering an apology to the nation.

In a statement by his media department, yesterday, Hashim described the move as a crucial step toward national healing and reconciliation.

Hashim, who was detained without trial under Babangida’s military regime, said though he was invited to the launch of IBB’s book, he was unable to attend.

He said he later visited the former Head of State to congratulate him on the success of the project, which had sparked widespread debate across the country.

During the visit, yesterday, to the former head of state, Hashim said rather than focusing on the controversial aspects, the focus should be on the significance of Babangida’s admission of past mistakes.

He said: “IBB is not the only leader, who made mistakes in office, but not everyone has found the courage and humility to admit their errors. What he has said and written are important testimonies for national reconciliation.”

Hashim clarified that he was neither a praise singer nor a beneficiary of Babangida’s government, recalling his strong opposition to IBB’s regime and imprisonment under Decree 2.

“IBB is an enigma. Despite our differences, I have come to admire his humility, simplicity and deep love for Nigeria’s unity. To him, national unity is like a religion.” He said.

Hashim also revealed Babangida’s pivotal behind-the-scenes role in ensuring that Goodluck Jonathan became President under the Doctrine of Necessity during Nigeria’s 2010 political crisis.

He said: “He asked me to fly in from London when some interest groups were working to prevent Jonathan from becoming acting President. I ran errands between him and Baba in Ota. I was with IBB till 1 a.m. the night Yar’Adua was being brought back into the country.

“We worked with Senate Leader Teslim Folarin and Senator Pulka, who represented Jonathan’s camp. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Hashim stressed the urgent need for Nigerian leaders to acknowledge past mistakes, arguing that a culture of accountability and reconciliation was essential for national progress.

MEANWHILE, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has stated that it is incorrect for former Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, to have labelled Babangida, as Tinubu’s tormentor.

During the public presentation of Babangida’s autobiography, “A Journey in Service”, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja last week, Osinbajo, who was the book reviewer, had recalled how Tinubu, then a senator, resisted the dissolution of the Senate by the military government, following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

He jocularly said Tinubu, who was then tormented by the military, including Babangida for attempting to reconstitute the dissolved Senate, was at the event to honour one of his tormentors.

But speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, yesterday, Onanuga faulted the statement by Osinbajo, saying Babangida was an inspiration for Tinubu charting a course in politics.

“I think the former Vice President got it wrong. I think Babangida was not a tormentor of Tinubu; don’t forget that President Tinubu said in his extempore speech that he held Babangida was the person who inspired him to get into politics.

“When Babangida came in, he was talking about new breed politicians and so on, and Tinubu, like many of them, were already technocrats or in private business and so on. All of them came out to participate in politics; that was what brought him in. So, he came there to pay homage,” Onanuga said.

Onanuga stated that the torment began under General Sani Abacha, when Tinubu, along with some colleagues, attempted to reconvene the Senate in Lagos.

IN another development, the Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the source of the donations made at the Babangida book launch.

Billionaire industrialist and philanthropist, Abdul Samad Rabiu, announced a donation of N5 billion, topping the list of donors at the event attended by President Bola Tinubu at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton.

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, donated N2 billion and pledged to add N2 billion yearly over the next three years, bringing his total to N8 billion, while former army chief and minister of defence, TY Danjuma, pledged N3 billion.

CHRICED’s Executive Director, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, in a statement, raised the alarm over the billions of naira reportedly contributed by politically exposed persons (PEPs) and business magnates.

The group insisted that the EFCC must probe the origins of the funds, especially in a country, where corruption remains a major challenge.

CHRICED also faulted President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s past leaders, including former President Goodluck Jonathan for attending the book launch, describing it as a disturbing endorsement of impunity.