The details of a tripartite meeting by former Heads of State, all retired Generals- Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar at the IBB home in Minna, on May 2nd, have been revealed.
After the meeting only a group photograph taken by the retired generals emerged.
At the meeting, said to have been initiated by Obasanjo, the newspaper reports that it was agreed that the next president must be under 70, must be a pan-Nigeria personality from any part of the country.
The Generals also agreed that ehnicity and religion must also not be a barrier.
They were said to have considered some top politicians who have indicated interest, even though quietly, in the race and they zeroed in on a few they could be identified on the spot, who also met their set criteria.
Those considered in the meeting include a former governor of Kano and now a serving Senator, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (60); current governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (51); former Cross River governor, Donald Duke (55) and the immediate past governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole (65), all of who are of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, stock.
He told the newspaper, “First of all, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as a politician with an ambition has the right to reach out to anyone who he thinks can add value to his aspiration.
“It is true that he, Atiku has reached out to General IBB and also General Aliyu Gusau, the same way other presidential aspirants have been reaching out too. What is not true is to state that he has been endorsed by the duo.
“General IBB has left partisan politics six years ago when he clocked 70. As an elder statesman, he remains committed to the ideals of the founding fathers of Nigeria and its unity.
“He will continue to welcome Nigerians of all shades to his Minna home in furthering the narrative of one indivisible Nigeria.
“When it is time for election, in line with his inalienable right to vote, he will identify with anyone whom he thinks can represent the country and preside over her affairs beyond 2019. For now, it is not a time for endorsement. It is a time for sober reflections.”
