Former military president, Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), yesterday warned against politics of rancour and division even as he cautioned politicians against unpatriotic tendencies.
According to him, politics should not be played to disunite the country but should rather be used as a uniting factor.
IBB, as he is fondly called, spoke when he received some of the founding fathers and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at his uphill residence in Minna, the capital of Niger State.
He counseled them to be focused in their political activities and work hard for the unity of the country instead of engaging in acts that are capable of disuniting the country.
Leadership reports that the founding members of the major opposition party in the country who appeared to be favourably disposed to the candidature of Professor Tunde Adeniran as the new national chairman of the party, were in the uphill mansion to sell their candidate to IBB.
Addressing them on national issues, the former military president who is also a founding member of the PDP said, “(Considering) the sacrifices we made to unite the country, politicians should be able to sustain the shocks and upheavals in whatever ways to unify the country more.
“We fought a war and remained united; therefore, politics should always be geared towards unity of the country “.
On whether he will support Professor Adeniran for national chairman of the party, Babangida said he would always be with like minds to guide the party and bless the anointed candidate, even as he described him as a ‘capable hand’.
Members of the delegation included Prof Jerry Gana; former Kano State governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau; Senator Ibrahim Mantu; former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina; Hajiya Inna Ciroma and Alhaji Shehu Gabam.
The delegation later left for the PDP state secretariat along eastern bye pass Minna where they also met with some party executives led by the chairman, Barrister Tanko Beji.