Mohammed Babangida, son of former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, may have joined the Niger State governorship race to contest the 2015 governorship poll in the state.
This is contrary to speculation that the son of the former military ruler had backed down on his earlier touted ambition to govern the state, according to a competent source who spoke with our correspondent in Kaduna on Friday.
Eleven aspirants were said to have indicated interest to seek nomination of their political parties to run for the governorship seat of Niger State in 2015.
“He (Mohammed) planned to purchase the nomination form for the race secretly,” he said.
Of the number jostling to succeed Governor Babangida Aliyu in 2015, eight aspirants belong to the ruling political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, the remaining three aspirants are from the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress.
Among the PDP aspirants are a former military administrator of Benue and Kano states, Col. Aminu Kontagora and a 39-year-old Chief of Staff, Government House, Umar Nasko, who is said to be the likely successor of the incumbent governor.
Others are the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto; the state Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Mu’azu Bawa, and the Chairman, Wushishi Local Government Area, Alhaji Sa’idu Wushishi.
The source, who craved anonymity, noted that the former military leader’s son entrance into the race might have altered the political equation of the state “since Mohammed Babangida and governor Babangida Aliyu are form the same zone in the state.”
The PDP has zoned the successor to Aliyu to Niger North Senatorial District, citing equity and justice, Mohammed interest in the governorship, the source added, “will undermine the party’s arrangement of zoning.”
He said, “Also, don’t forget that Mohammed Babangida and the current governor are from the same zone. There are evidence that the former military president and his entire family members, including Mohammed himself, were registered at the Sabon-Gari Ward in Chanchanga Local Government Area of the state,” he said.
According to the source, the former military president is top on the PDP’s membership registration list “as stakeholder” with registration number ‘0755501’, Mohammed is second on the list with registration number ‘0755502’ , while his other siblings, Aminu and Halima’s registration numbers are ‘0755503,’ 0755504 respectively. Punch
