THISDAYonline

Former Minister of Information and Sports, Chief Alex Akinyele, yesterday described as barbaric and uncalled for the attacks by some people on former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida.

Babangida was reported to have escaped been lynched by some hoodlums who attacked him in Kano and Zaria when the former President was attending social functions.

Akinyele who served in the Babangida administration said in Osogbo that the attacks smacked of vendetta and accused Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate in the April 19 election of "sponsoring the attack in order to settle some scores with Babangida."

Said he: "What happened to IBB was unfortunate. If a former Head of State could be dealt with like that, it is unfortunate.

"I suspect Buhari's hand in the matter. It is a matter of vendetta because IBB did not support him (Buhari) in his bid to become the President of Nigeria and because IBB toppled him in 1985," he said.

Akinyele said Babangida had the right to aspire to lead the country again.

"I think IBB wants to have another opportunity to correct the mistakes of the past. If he decides to run, I don't think he will have serious opposition," Akinyele said.

Also, the Chairman of United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP) in Osun State, Alhaji Ahmed Adekunle Makama, condemned the attack on Babangida saying nobody could subject the former Head of State to a public ridicule. Any such attempt would "rather make him more popular," he said.

"IBB has built a solid reputation over the years and nobody can destroy him. We need to unite and move the country forward. We cannot continue to ridicule our past leaders, it is uncivilised," Makama said.

Makama disclosed that very soon Babangida's supporters and loyalists would come out and unfold their agenda for the former President for 2007.

"The Project 2007 will be launched in July. It is a matter of reactivating the old structure. IBB has what it takes to defeat other candidates. In fact, the coalition of the parties would present IBB as a common candidate," Makama said.