Barely 24 hours after three former heads of state, President Olusegun Obasanjo, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, met at Babangida’s hilltop residence, in Minna, facts have emerged on what they discussed.
Sources revealed that the former heads, not at ease with speculations and insinuations, talked about President Muhammad Buhari’s health and the need to douse tension and restore confidence.
It was gathered that following the discussion, one of the former heads of state may visit the presidential villa to meet with President Buhari.
Source close to Babangida told Daily Sun in Minna, Niger State capital, yesterday, that although the meeting was called by Obasanjo, “Minna was chosen as venue because of IBB’s health and the fact that he and Abdulsalami were in Minna and, therefore, it was convenient for Obasanjo to join them.”
It was further gathered that the meeting was also to have in attendance former Minister of Defence, General Theophilius Danjuma who was, eventually absent.
Daily Sun also gathered that the meeting dwelt on the arrest and detention of some former People Democratic Party (PDP) governors by security operatives and also, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Former governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, his Benue counterpart, Gabriel Suswam and Sule Lamido of Jigawa state are presently in various detention centres across the country, without trial.
The source said the former Nigerian leaders expressed worry that the polity is being heated up with the arrest of many former governors at the same time.
According to the source, “you know Sule Lamido and Babangida Aliyu are very close to Obasanjo and you know that recently, former Senate President, David Mark publicly expressed grave concern over the continued detention of his former governor, Suswam, by the Department of State Services (DSS) on allegations of being in possession of illegal fire arms.
“The three former leaders also discussed other state matters, including the health of the president,” the source said.
Asked why former President Goodluck Jonathan was not at the Minna meeting, when “the state of the nation was discussed,” the source simply replied: “Well, I am not the convener of the meeting.”
Obasanjo was said to have arrived IBB’s residence at exactly 3:45pm, accompanied by Niger Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who left immediately before the meeting commenced. The meeting ended at about 6pm on Monday.
