Nigeria’s former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), yesterday turned down a request made by President Goodluck Jonathan to break the fast with him in his Minna Hilltop home, according to the Abuja-based Peoples Daily. The paper quted “a reliable Presidency source” as disclosing that Jonathan had reasoned that it would be inappropriate for the Holy month of Ramadan to elapse without him showing the spirit of comradeship with the former military president.

“The president (Jonathan) sent word to IBB indicating he wanted to join the former leader for a breakfast with him in Minna,” the source reportedly disclosed. It said that IBB politely turned down the request on the ground that such a visit could be misconstrued, especially when the host governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, is currently observing the lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia.

The paper also quoted another source close to the former military president in Minna as confirming the story when he disclosed that IBB was not comfortable with such visit, more so when the Niger State governor is at the head of current consultations with stakeholders around the country on the state of the nation by five northern governors. Aliyu was part of the five governors that met IBB in Minna recently during their state of the nation consultations tour. Other members of the G5 include the governors of Adamawa, Admiral Murtala Nyako; Kano, Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso; Sokoto, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko and Jigawa’s Sule Lamido. IBB had described the G5 as true patriots after their meeting with him and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, recently in Minna recently.

The governors had also met with other eminent Nigerians including former President, Shehu Shagari, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme and General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma. Our source in Minna said IBB was conscious of the fact that his comments to the press after the breakfast meeting could be misinterpreted and such could be counted as betrayal, more so when his state governor would not be present at the meeting.

“IBB felt that it won’t be fair to meet Jonathan in the absence of the Niger state governor who is currently in Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj. This may be misinterpreted considering the charged political situation in the country. This is even more so when the Niger state governor is part of the five northern governors moving round the country on consultations on the state of the nation,” the source stressed.

Besides, the source disclosed that criticisms had trailed IBB’s presence at the 80th birthday bash for the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, which was held in Abuja on Sunday.

But sources close to the former President said IBB felt strongly that he had not done anything untoward by honouring the octogenarian with his presence since other Nigerians from across the country, including former President Obasanjo, General Danjuma, were present at the occasion.

When contacted for reaction to our report last night, Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak, said he was not in the country and could not therefore “give any useful information on the matter.”

However, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the reported request by President Jonathan for a breakfast meeting IBB was not true.

Peoples Daily quoted him as saying: “It’s not true. Whoever is telling you that story is just making it up.”

According to the presidential media aide: “The President has not gone out of his residence to breakfast anywhere or with anybody since this Ramadan started.

“Rather, since the holy month began, the President has been the one that receives people in the (Presidential) Villa to breakfast with him. He has been receiving different groups of people, all of who are residents here in the FCT.

“As you’re probably aware, the president is fasting. So, almost every other day different groups of people come to breakfast with him. And to the best of my knowledge, IBB’s name is not on the list of people lined up to join Mr. President in the Villa and have breakfast with him.

“But to say that the president was the one to go to Minna and breakfast with the former president, that’s untrue.”

•Photo shows IBB.

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