Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.), has thrown his weight behind the e-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking while hosting Jonathan yesterday in his Minna mansion in Niger State, the man fondly called Maradona and IBB declared that anyone who means well for Nigeria should support the former university teacher’s second term bid to make Nigeria survive as a united nation.

Though he did not expatiate, Babangida is believed to have in mind the threat of ex-militants from Jonathan’s Ijaw ethnic group in the Niger Delta region to return to the creeks if their kinsman does not win re-election. Jonathan is the first NigerDeltan to become Presdient of Africa’s most populous country.

Speaking during the visit, Jonathan described IBB, a chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as a national leader whose counsel is very much needed at the end of the year such as this, especially bearing in mind the insecurity in the land.

He noted that Nigeria is passing through serious challenges and that Babangida’s experience would be needed if some of these challenges must be adequately tackled.

•Photo shows IBB.