I’m unavailable for 2019 ticket – IBB

The rebranding efforts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered a setback on Tuesday after former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, told the party to count him out of its rebranding conference, saying he has quit partisan politics.

In a statement signed he personally signed and made available

to The Nation in Minna, Niger State, Babangida said he is satisfied  with his role as a non-partisan elder statesman, a patriot and a “consultant-in-chief” to political office seekers and other like-minds who want to have his input in their aspirations.

He stated that it is ridiculous for people to think the rebranding of PDP is to prepare him for future elections when younger people are on ground.

The ex-military president insisted that he has no intention of running for any political office in Nigeria again.

He said, “I wish to make some clarifications concerning the invitation extended to me on the scheduled PDP Rebranding Conference slated for Thursday, 12 November, 2015, aimed at repositioning the party after its poor outing at the last elections.

“While I welcome the invitation to the event as a mark of respect as one of the founding fathers, I want to be excused on the grounds that I have long bid bye to partisan politics. Since 2011 till date, I have been playing my role as an elder statesman and ‘consultant-in-chief’ to political office seekers and other like-minds who want my input in their aspirations.

“At 74, I feel a deep sense of fulfillment in my new role as non-partisan elder statesman and a patriot, available to all categories of persons without the burgeoning label of any political party or affiliation. I have many friends and associates in the two dominant political parties – APC and PDP, and numerous other smaller political parties. At this stage of my political journey, I want to be able to interact and socialize with them without being branded anti-party.”

“I have heard whispers from different political arenas that one of the rationales for the rebranding of PDP was to prepare me for future elections in 2019. How ridiculous? God’s willing; by 2019, I will be 78 years old. If I called it quit in 2011, why would PDP contemplate fielding a 78 years old man in a presidential election in a country that parades very vibrant men and women of lesser age?  I have no intention whatsoever to run for any office again in Nigeria.”