RECENT attempts to launder the image of the late General Sani Abacha, Nigeria's maximum ruler between 1993 and 1998 smack of invidious revisionism, apart from being insensitive. First was the press conference by Mrs. Maryam Abacha, wife of the late General Abacha on Wednesday, June 4, a few days to the 10th anniversary of his death.

Retired army General and former Nigerian dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, the man also popularly known as IBB, "evil genius", and "Maradona" granted an interview to an internet news site: The Peoples' Magazine/PointBlank News.com in which he purportedly argued that the government that he ran between 1985 and 1993 is definitely better than former President Olusegun Obasanjo's. The text of his interview has been reproduced widely on the internet and in the local media. IBB certainly can't be serious and he needs to be told so. His assumptions ought to be exposed for what they are: hollow revisionism. And of course this is not the first time that IBB would attempt to rewrite history. Since his ignominious exit from power in 1993, he and his many willing agents have tried every trick in the books to white-wash his image and smuggle him into a nice corner of contemporary Nigerian history.

There is no controversy that IBB has been a formidable power broker in Nigeria’s political theatre for the past 30 years until recently. He has been close to the seat of power since perhaps the second coup of 1966. And each successful coup had moved him one notch up the political hierarchy until 1985 when he got the ultimate price and declared himself our president against established tradition of coup plotters calling themselves heads of state.

 By Simon Imobo-Tswam

PDP Presidential candidate, Mr. Umaru Yar'Adua is not at ease. Some political heavyweights are keeping too much silence. Top on the list is former military dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida.