FORMER military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida has joined the condemnation of the ongoing agitation for the recreation of the defunct republic of Biafra by describing the protests as an unnecessary distraction which Nigeria does not need for now. 

Over the last month, separatists calling for the recreation of Biafra have been organising demonstrations across Igboland, campaigning for secession from Nigeria. Their protests were sparked off by the arrest of Radio Biafra director Nnamdi Kanu who was apprehended by security agents upon his arrival in Lagos from the UK. 

Notable Nigerians have condemned the protests and governors of Nigeria's five Igbo-speaking states plan to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss the matter. General Babangida, who ruled Nigeria as an absolute military dictator between 1985 and 1993, and fought as a soldier during the Nigerian Civil War, has joined in the condemnation of the protests. 

General Babangida said: “We do not need this Biafra distraction now but I will vote for an Igbo president in 2019 if I find one." 

In 2011, when general Babangida was seeking to run for the presidency of Nigeria, he pledged to pick an Igbo running mate as his vice president. He then stated that he would only serve for a term, after which he would hand over to his deputy, in line with Nigeria's rotational presidency informal agreement.

However, General Babangida was unable to secure the Peoples Democratic Party presidential ticket, losing out to former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who was picked as the consensus northern candidate. Alhaji Atiku then lost out to President Goodluck Jonathan in the party primaries.