I Am A Thief When You Prove It, Says Babangida

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General Ibrahim Babangida's only defence for accusations about vast corruption and theft of public treasury during his regime is that evidence must be produced. Without evidence, said the former dictator, Nigerians must let him be. The former military ruler is under intense heat amid revelations that the hidden report on how he mismanaged the $12.4 billion Gulf War windfall had been found.

Babangida, who had a chat with airport journalists the Murtala Muhammed Airport, said: “If you call me a thief and you can prove it, you know what to do, not to make noise about it, go ahead and prove it.”

The dicator, who remained unperturbed on his ambition to lead the country again come 2011, revelead some of his strategies to win the forthcoming poll. Babangida relies on "the voting public" and the political party of his choice. He said he would fall on these options if he was unable to achieve his goal under the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

In continuing anger over IBB's bid to rule, the General Overseer of the Evangelical Bible Outreach Prayer Ministry International, Prophet Isa El-Buba, has implored Nigerians not to bother themselves about the political aspiration of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, saying that the hand of God was not upon him and could never rule Nigeria again.

Speaking with newsmen in Jos, Prophet El-Buba said Babangida was simply dissipating his energy and resources in vain, adding that those whom God had not chosen could not force themselves on Nigerians, as leaders, otherwise they would incur the wrath of God.

The general overseer stated that all the hardship being experienced in the country currently started as a result of his bad style of leadership, induced by high level corruption.

Said he: “The pains of Nigerians originated from Babangida through his bad economic policies. He messed up the country and institutionalised corruption. If he cannot change the phase of the country as military president with such an enormous power, there is nothing he can do in this present situation.”

“The most important thing is that God has rejected him; the hand of God is not upon him as far as 2011 presidential election is concern. He is simply dissipating his energy and resources in vain,” he said.

Prophet El-Buba said the circumstances surrounding the emergence of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the acting president of Nigeria depicted that the hand of God was upon him and advised him to steer the affairs of the nation in line with the desire of the common people, adding that his commitment to pursue energy and electoral reforms was a welcome development.

According to him, his name would go down in history, if he can show full and total commitment to the sectors as one of the great leaders of Nigeria.

He added added that to achieve this, the acting president must shut his ears to those parading themselves as godfathers.

The clergyman condemned those clamouring for power to remain in the North, adding that the era where the North thought it could go it all alone as far as leadership of Nigeria was concern was over. He scaid what the nation needed now was a leader that could address the myriad of problems confronting the country.

“We the North should not think we have the monopoly of power, we cannot do it alone. It is high time we put aside the mentality that the vote of the North can make any candidate become the president of this great nation.

“All what we need as a nation is a good leader no matter where he comes from, a leader who can pursue the need of the common man,” he said.