 The Nigerian Governors Forum has stated that General Ibrahim Babangira and his achievements have remained a reference point to younger generations. They said this while visiting the former military president to felicitate with him on his eight years' birthday. They stated that he deserved accolades considering how much he contributed to the development of the country by fighting for the unity of the nation as a soldier and a military president. Joining us to discuss this is Chris Mokobia, a legal practitioner, and Biadu Shomi, a political analyst. Thank you very much for joining us. It's my pleasure. I'm going to start with you, Mr Mokobia. The choice of words by these governors is very intriguing. Can they say that the former military leader had somewhat become a reference point to younger generations? I'm wondering, is this in a good way or in a positive way? And the former president, it seems to be in the news a lot these days. I understand that it is the week of his eighth birthday. I understand that he has granted a few interviews recently. But what I don't understand is there are colleagues that he's been getting lately. What I don't understand is what has suddenly changed about the persona of a former president, the first military president who had in this country. What I don't understand is why did governors dance into the hill top and telling us fantastic stories about what is not. What I don't understand is the level of pressing in that he's getting presently. The only thing I align with in the interviews he's granted recently is the fact that he has said clearly that the time for young people to take over the hands of leaders is now. The time for young people to organize and redeem our hands is now. To that extent, I will agree with Babangida about beyond that. I don't understand what the reference points to younger generation would be. We're still, we're yet to recover from what happened in 1993 as a nation. We're yet to remedy completely the ills of that annulment. We're yet to walk away from the problems that otherwise that process, that June 12 election would have solved. I remember that in June 12 we had a Muslim-Muslim ticket, which obviously what it did was to say to Nigerians that though towns and tribes may differ, though your creed and clan may differ, Nigerians can truly work in brotherhood, but unfortunately, throwing away that ticket via the annulment of that election was a major sore point in all that IBB stands for. But I want to say that no matter how much politicians and politicians attempt to rewrite history, history will stand tall. And that is why some of us are very concerned about the press singing of IBB, the press singing of the Maradona, the press singing of the man, the media, or the English genius. I think what we must note here is, and I say without fear of previous critics and without a publication, that the time to call a spade by its name is now. Maybe he wants a good closure to his sojourn in this space, but that he can do differently. I disagree with politicians singing his praise. I think that the time has come and we truly understand that it is you to clock. If it's time to redeem our country and young people can do that, I think it does not necessarily have to give us a lecture in that. You actually played into my point, but let me go to Mr. Shomey. I was going to ask the question about IBB being in the news lately, the fact that politicians are paying homage to him and speaking glowingly about him. And Mr. Mokobi has actually played into that. And I'm wondering, is he trying to rewrite history? Is he, what do you think is at play here? And let's not forget, 2023 is around the corner and he seemed to have in one of his interviews given somewhat of a list of the kind of politician or leader that the country deserves. And when he plays the card of young people, it's time for young people to be in power. That's not new. Young people have heard this story over and over again. I heard it when I was a child that I was the leader of tomorrow. Tomorrow has come and gone. I'm still not yet a leader per se in that sense. So really, what do you think is at play in terms of the former military general? Well, it's interesting that we seem to have forgotten that Nigerians are very short memory. I'm not surprised politicians are pressing president, former president of the Prangida. Not forget, just like Chris said, his role. One major thing which I know it would always be a reference point for is that he annulled the most free fair election in the history of Nigeria. Whether that is something to be praised for or not, I don't know. You can make up your mind on that. For the first time, when sanctions were imposed on Nigeria, Nigeria became a pariah state was under Ibrahim Babangida, who are not the election that led to a better community of power. And Nigeria became a pariah state. It did set the actions, the ball rolling, the actions in motion that led to that. And we should never, never forget that he was actually on board out of power. He was first out of power. I doubt whether there's much to remember that. When we started talking about huge amounts of money suspected to be looted, you would never forget to mention Ibrahim Babangida. So when governors, many of whom, people have their viewpoints on what they are worth in terms of their own access to public wealth, you know, start pressing IBD. Then you begin to ask yourself the same sorts of the same feathers flowed together. And for me, it's quite clear that, is it that they're looking for a dust for IBD because of the 2023 elections, the upcoming presidential elections? If it's not about that, then it's actually because they, well, they know what IBD was when it was in power, but they didn't see anything wrong with it. They probably would have done the same thing if they had been in IBD. So therefore, the electorates need to look at these politicians very well, governments very well, and know they stop their middle. So that's the major thing. When you look at IBD's policies, which he enunciated at that time, it was rejected by Nigerians. You will not forget Professor Sam Cookie, you know, either the Cookie Commission that came out with the report rejecting commercialization of the commanding rights of the economy. You know, nationalization of the privatization of the oil industry and all that. So those are the commanding rights. These own flagship policies were rejected, economic policies rejected by Nigerians, you know, before we eventually got rid of them from power. So I'm beginning to ask myself, what are the issues that they want us to remind to remember Babaguda, you know, the two things they see, because the man drove us almost to the point of collapse, almost to the point of civil war. The country was badly divided due to the annulment of June 12. No, and the crisis went on for so long. Nigerians lost a lot of resources. I don't know what those governments are thinking about those politicians. Maybe they are different from what we are seeing. OK, let me go back to Mr. Wokobiya. It's very interesting to see again the accolades that has been given to the former president. They even talked about the fact that he fought for the country's unity. Now, Nigeria is again at a point where we're having insecurity, you know, throw up non-state actors. And when I talk about non-state actors, we have the likes of Igboho, we have the likes of Namdikhanu, we're seeing a lot of agitation from the north, from the south, from the east, and then we seem to see everybody flocking to a man that many people frowned at, in fact, like you said in your words, an evil genius. But people have also, pundits have also blamed the media for giving some form of opportunity for these people to be seen, to be heard. The fact that we keep going to these people and asking them questions and letting them speak on issues about democracy, when these people were military leaders, when these people were seemed to be dictators. Can we also share in the fault as a people for continuously giving an ear to people that we probably shouldn't be listening to in terms of growing our nation, especially if, as we are operating under a democracy? Let me say very clearly that to go to anybody to seek counsel or advice, perhaps may not be anathema. What I totally disobeyed. Mr. Wakabe, can you hear me? I agree with, it's coming out of such. Can you hear us? Go ahead. Yes, we can hear you now, go ahead. Hello, can you hear me? Yes, yes, we can hear you. Can you hear me? Yes. Yeah, what I disagree with completely is telling us how wonderful and how awesome those who otherwise brought us to the sorry past that we experienced today. I completely agree with those who have said that, oh, this modern day, this newfound love for IVB is somewhat reprehensible. I agree with those who are saying that you cannot paint him with beautiful brush when he messed up our democracy. I agree with those who have said that we can do things better. The only thing like I noted in my opening remark is that he perhaps may have marronically admitted that the time has come for a new dispensation of leaders, a new crop of leaders to emerge on a political amphitheater. He has perhaps also carefully admitted that his generation has failed us to celebrate him. But the question is, will they step aside and let this said generation take their position? I mean, I'm not also advocating that power just be handed to young people because of course that's some form of Godfatherism. But I'm saying the system has one way or the other been built to lock young people out. There is some form of systemic put together makeup that locks young people out. And really, how easy is that going to be young people are not just going to jump into the political scene without growing through the ranks? Let me say clearly that in your first segment, you did speak to a young man who is a commissioner in the state of Kogi. And Kogi state is a state that I am passionate about because there you have the youngest governor in our country today. And like you noted, and you saw the report, Lokoja is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. I think that young people are beginning to rise up. I know the young people are beginning to ask strong questions. In 2011, when I was 40, I began this movement for a new dispensation in leadership. I was the youngest presidential candidate in this country in 2011. At 40, I ran for the high office of president. And that was where this call for not too young to run began. Today, there's a bill. Today, the constitutional margin for precedence has been reduced from 40 to 35. Young people are beginning to ask strong questions. In the last election, we had 40 percent of the presidential candidates that we had were less than 55. I think that consistently, if they continue to ask strong questions and angle and fight for leadership, we can get it. Power is never given. Power is taken. I agree that over the years, we have had successive leaders who consistently and continuously replicate themselves on the political stage. They have consistently stolen so much, so they have enough money to dominate our political amphitheater. But whether we like it or not, a highly progressive world is asking for strong questions. And that is why consistently we agree that the time is for the youths to take over the realms of leadership and it is you to plow. All right, Mr. Show, the last question is for you. You mentioned something earlier on that we need to watch out for these politicians. And of course, 2023 is in the radar. 2022 is, of course, campaign season, and it will soon be upon us. What should the average electorate be armed with as we get ready for campaign season? Well, firstly, we are faced with the major security challenge, which we are operating, who will be dissolved soon in the country. Because when you look at the nature of it, it's so protracted. You know, on one hand, it would prove to be a special threat to the nation. While on the other hand is about ordinary criminality, or crime rates going up in the country, people feeling unsafe and all that. So on what's cause, we hope the same politicians who have succeeded in resolving many of these issues before the next election. But the importantly, what we need to look at is the electorate is more about people's ability to deliver on their promises rather than being taken for granted. We need to consider, you know, merit, you need to consider issues. Very important to people's sense of belonging. It's also very important than the programs of the political party which they intend to implement, particularly with growing poverty in the country and standard of living is to be used by pay due to government increasing taxes on goods and services. And labor which is remaining stagnant. So people need to look at all these issues and ask the governors or the politicians or presidential candidates. Look, what's your policy on health, on education, on the environment, on housing for the poor? You know, these are germane issues that we must always ask our politicians rather than depending on the on the little handouts they will give out during the campaign. We should be rejecting their plans while asking them questions, you know, rather than supporting them or supporting the political parties simply because of gratifications. Well, as we get ready for 2023 and the year before it, well, all fingers will be crossed. And we're hoping that, like you said, the right questions will be asked. Piyano Shoumi is a political analyst. Chris Mwokobiya is a legal practitioner. Thank you very much, gentlemen, for being part of this conversation. Thank you so much. All right. Well, that's it on the show tonight. I hope you enjoyed yourself. We'll be back tomorrow, Friday, and we will be bringing you the roundup for this week. I am Mary Anacorn. See you tomorrow.