Babangida: Retired army generals will back Buhari

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Muhammadu Buhari (Both Center) flanked by APC party leaders today in Minna

Former military president of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida, on Monday declared not only his support, but that of other generals for Major General Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in the upcoming elections.

Speaking while receiving Buhari who visited him in Minna, Babangida said ‘’all of us will support you in this course to salvage this country’’.

He said that the APC’s candidate’s doggedness in sacrificing to salvage Nigeria would not be lost.

He stated that he is proud of the persistence and perseverance of Buhari in seeking to offer himself for service at the highest level in the country’s young democracy.

“You have beaten some of us in proving Gen. Douglas Mc’Arthur’s theory that, ‘old soldiers never die but fade away gradually, but you have refused to fade away,” he told Buhari.

“I wish to congratulate members of the party for the honour of nominating my colleague, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, as your presidential candidate in 2015 elections’’.
He said that the he and Buhari fought the battle to keep Nigeria indivisible, adding that such traits were attributes of patriots.

He then commended APC for honouring the military by nominating Buhari.

Babangida accused the media of misrepresentation of his relationship with Buhari, adding that it is far from what is being reported.

“You media men have created this impression that we are fighting each other. Look at us here today; he knows what I mean and I know what he means. We both fought to keep Nigeria one when we were young majors then. We were well travelled.

Earlier, Buhari said that the APC would commence a salvation crusade in Niger, adding that the calibre of people in APC in the state was a testimony.

He thanked Babangida for the support and camaraderie he had enjoyed over the years and assured him that Nigeria was on the verge of change.

He said that APC was set to take over the state with the calibre of the candidates presented for various offices and the quality of those that decamped from the ruling PDP.