Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida has denied claims that he endorsed military rule over democratic governance.
In a statement released by his media office and signed by Mahmud Abdullahi in Minna, Babangida reaffirmed his commitment to democratic rule and urged Nigerians to embrace and ensure its success.
The statement addressed a post from a parody account on X (formerly Twitter) with the handle @General_Ibbro, which falsely attributed to Babangida an endorsement of military rule’s virtues over democracy.
The parody account carried Babangida’s picture and name, as well as the Nigerian coat of arms, to give the impression of authenticity. However, Babangida’s office emphasized that the account does not belong to him and that he did not sanction any of the posts.
The statement noted that this was not the first time the parody account had caused confusion and embarrassment by posting false information. During the presidential elections last year, the account claimed that Babangida had endorsed a particular candidate and party, which was also false.
Babangida’s office reaffirmed his commitment to democratic rule, stating that he believes Nigeria’s democracy is resilient and has come to stay. He urged Nigerians to work together to safeguard the democratic process and overcome the country’s challenges.
The statement emphasized that Babangida has always advocated for more democracy, not less, and that he is proud of the Nigerian military’s support for democratic governments since 1999.
He advised the public to ignore any posts from the parody account and to verify information through official channels before sharing.
