‘I knew Gen. Babangida was planning the coup against me’ – Buhari

General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), the former military ruler and the presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has made a shocking revelation to TheCable about his relations and agreements with General Ibrahim Babangida.

Buhari (GMB) became in charge of Nigeria on December 31, 1983, after he and his loyalists overthrew the government of Shehu Shagari. However, on August 27, 1985, Buhari’s rule was ended by the Chief of Army Staff, IBB, who was a part of Buhari’s team and one of the key actors in 1983 coup.

And now GMB says that he knew Gen. Babangida was planning the coup against him. It may sound incredible, but they discussed it together with him at Buhari’s office!

“He brought the news that he went to Kano and people complained that I pulled a pistol during a council meeting. I said Ibro – I called him Ibro because I was just senior to him by a few months – I said whoever wants to sit on this chair let him come and sit here. And he decided to do it,” Buhari recalled.

The military head could have easily put IBB on trial, or even advocated the death sentence for him for planning the coup, but, in fact, Buhari did not do it.

Buhari noted that when he came into power, there was no bloodshed, except for death of a couple of policemen and Brigadier Ibrahim Bako in an ambush and gun fight.

“But deliberately, nobody was killed. I was in the front, the real front in the Nigerian civil war. I had seen enough of death and I know what God means by human life. Any human being, God values their life. And anybody who hopes to meet God, he should be careful about killing,” GMB continued.

Memories of the 1983 coup

Buhari reveals he is working on the memoirs. He cannot forget Generals Adekunle, Danjuma, Murtala and Shuwa and is sure they have sacrificed a lot for Nigeria and they should be honoured, but it is not always happening.

“When I went to greet the family of (Benjamin) Adekunle after his death, and I saw that he was living in a glorified boys quarters, I was very sorry for this country. I felt sorry for this country. What type of people are we? For him to finish up like that, I was very sorry for this country. Unless people believe in God, I think they will forsake this country.”

GMB says that details about an attempt to smuggle late Alhaji Umaru Dikko from the UK to Nigeria by his government shall remain classified.

Babangida’s 1985 coup against Buhari

As mentioned above, GMB does not regret that he took no action against IBB, because he is sure that “jailing or killing people does not solve the problem.”

What Buhari really regrets is controversial decisions of Babangida in economic life of Nigeria. The naira was devalued by about 122%.

“Some of the politicians that were jailed for corruption, they were released and their loot was returned to them by Babangida. So it’s a big joke. That means I was there then before my time,” he concluded.

Buhari: From the military ruler who overthrew a democratic government, to the democrat Buhari recalls he was out of detention and went home in December 1988. He also had no money, no significant assets.

At these times a huge change of the global order was coming. The breakdown of the Soviet Union (1990-1991) made a huge impact on him and his views. The general realised and believed in the superiority of multi-party democracy and started partisan politics. Buhari explained his moves to leave ANPP, to form CPC and to promote merging of the parties into the All Progressives Congress (APC):

“It is all about strengthening our democracy and stabilising the system. I don’t like any person to see me as an impulsive person. I deliberately take decisions for my actions. That it is why when ANPP gave me the presidential ticket in 2003 and 2007, I went into the field, did my best but unfortunately we didn’t achieve success. But then while we were in court the party’s leadership took two marginal ministerial positions in the government of the late Umaru Yar’Adua. The party chairman said his son was taking up an appointment as special adviser while we were still in court.”

According to Buhari, in 2005 the opposition realised that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was too strong. The first talks on how to unite and face the PDP started:

“This is the best way I think we can stabilise the system. When we stabilise the system impunity will not be acceptable. That is why we formed the APC. We need multi-party democracy to stabilise the system.”

A typical day of military ruler turned democrat

Buhari’s day usually starts with 5-o’clock morning prayer. Then he checks to the Voice of America and the BBC Hausa service. The former general considers their comments on political and economic life as excellent. He also emphasises their educative role for Hausa speakers in and outside Nigeria, on the whole African continent.

“… they (comments) allow people to discuss, express different opinions and they interpret it, and I find that very helpful. And it is very current for Nigerian politics for that audience. I listen to that, and then I try to rest again.”

By 10am GMB has his breakfast, and then decides whether to go to the office or work from home, in case he is in the mood to work without any interference.

In many cases work from home is not possible, because he sometimes has lots of official appointments to attend to. GMB has no definite time for returning home, normally it is between 4pm and 5pm. He often keeps discussing things with the people till 10 o’clock in the night.

“These days, it is very difficult. This time scheduling is too tight. Sometimes I wish I had more than 24 hours to keep up with the demands of meeting people. Again, Nigerian politics, especially this time around, is the main issue. It is keeping me extremely busy,” he confessed.

Buhari goes to sleep at about than half past eleven. His dream is to observe siestas. The retired general revealed that sometimes it is possible, in case he manages to escape from his office by 3.30 pm.

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