Former military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) on Tuesday said the current leadership in the country lacks the vision, courage and focus to take Nigeria to the promised land.

He made the remark when Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa State and presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), paid him a courtesy visit as part of his ongoing consultations ahead of the 2019 general election.

Babangida said that with Lamido in the saddle, Nigeria will be great again, adding that the former foreign affairs minister has his blessings as far as the 2019 presidential contest is concerned.

The meeting, it was learnt, was part of Lamido’s consultative meeting with former leaders, critical stakeholders, PDP NWC members, party officials and elder statesmen concerning his 2019 presidential ambition. The meeting with IBB was said to have been held at the Minna Hilltop residence of the former leader.

In a statement issued by Lamido’s new media aide, Mansur Ahmed, he noted that “the meeting, with the former military president centered on the presidential ambition of Sule Lamido. The meeting, which lasted for over an hour, was to pay homage to a man Lamido described as ‘my leader,’ to brief him about our nationwide consultation, and to seek for his prayer, blessing, and advice and to learn from his vast experiences as a former president of Nigeria.

“The two leaders also discussed the imperative of working together to ensure that Nigeria remains a safe, stable and united country that deserved to be saved from the amateurs, currently holding sway in the country.”

Lamido was also quoted in the statement to have said that it was in the interest of all that Nigeria remains a stable and united country where Muslims and Christians can live without discrimination.

In his remarks, IBB was quoted in the statement to have said that with “Sule, Nigeria will be great because you are a student of the late Malam Aminu Kano, who sees and perceive life as a struggle for the emancipation of the common man.

“Nigeria needs your kind of leader because the current leadership has lost focus, vision, and courage to lead Nigeria to the promised land. Today in Nigeria, a brother killing a brother, kidnapping, hunger everywhere, we need to stand up and unite ourselves to rescue Nigeria come 2019.”

Lamido was said to have earlier visited the Niger State PDP secretariat and discussed with party officials under the leadership of Tanko Beji, before proceeding to IBB’s residence.