Revealed: How Babangida Helped Jonathan To Take Power From Yar’Adua

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Business mogul, Femi Otedola has revealed how former military President Ibrahim Babangida gave former President Goodluck Jonathan the confidence to take over power from late President Umaru Yar’adua after the protracted illness of the late president which created political tension in the country between 2009 and 2010.

Yar’Adua, had at the time traveled out of the country to treat himself without handing over power to his deputy, Jonathan.

His long absence had left a power vacuum and sparked a constitutional crisis with pressure on Jonathan to take over power.

Amid the confusion that rocked the country then, Otedola said Babangida sent a message through him to President Jonathan “to seat on Yar’Adua’s Chair’ during the federal Executive Council, FEC meeting.

Otedola disclosed this in his yet to be released book

The Businessman said “Worried by the tension and uncertainty, I decided to do something on my own,” Otedola wrote.

“In the first week of February 2010, I went to Minna, Niger state, along with Hajia Bola Shagaya, to commiserate with General Ibrahim Babangida over the death of his wife, Maryam.

“At his Hilltop residence, we spoke on a wide range of issues, but I told him I needed to discuss an urgent and vital issue. He took me to his study, where two of us were alone. I told him that the state of the nation had been agitating my mind.

“Your Excellency, how can we get out of this logjam? The political heat is too much,” Otedola asked Babangida, in which the former military leader said “Femi, advise your friend that when he gets to the Council Chambers next week for the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, he should go and sit on Yar’Adua’s chair.”

After delivering the message to Jonathan, the former president asked Otedola ‘What do you think?’ to which the businessman told him ‘Be a man, Your Excellency. Go and sit on that chair!’

According to him Jonathan “looked at me for some time and responded that he would think about it.

“A week later, on Tuesday, February 9, the National Assembly adopted the famous ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ to make Dr Jonathan the Acting President pending the return of President Yar’Adua from his medical leave. Behind-the-scene moves by prominent Nigerians preceded this decision. The legislative resolution was unprecedented, but the nation had been tensed up, and the fault-lines so stoked that an unusual solution was needed to address the unique situation.

“With Jonathan now legally empowered to act as President, there remained the critical optics: would he stand-in for the President confidently and authoritatively? Or would he try to maintain a subdued outlook?

“The following day was the FEC meeting. As Dr Jonathan entered the Council Chamber, he made to sit on the chair of the Vice President—his usual seat.

“As the protocol officer pulled out the VP’s chair, Dr Jonathan marched towards the seat reserved for the President. And he sat on it! That was the moment Dr Goodluck Jonathan took control of power. By that act, he sent a strong signal to all Nigerians that he was now in charge. The same day, Jonathan even reshuffled the cabinet,” Otedola said.