By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi
Opening up on how he was toppled in a palace coup in August 1985, President Muhammadu Buhari said he was removed by some corrupt, senior military officers.”
Buhari became Nigeria’s head of state, through a coup, on December 31, 1983.
Former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, a retired general and former military president, Aliyu Gusau, former director of military intelligence (DMI), and other members of the then ruling Supreme Military Council (SMC) took over power on August 27, 1985.
After his overthrow, Buhari was put under house arrest for so many months until his release in 1988, after the death of his mother.
In a chat with The Interview, Buhari said he was overthrown because of his crusade against corruption in the military.
He said senior military leaders ousted him to save themselves from his wrath.
The president revisited the issue on a two-day working visit to Edo State, yesterday.
Buhari said many had forgotten that he spent most part of his 40 months detention in the ancient city.
“Not many people may remember: I spent most of the 40 months of my detention, following the 1985 coup, in a small bungalow here in Benin,” he said.
Yesterday, after inaugurating a remodeled 200-bed capacity ultra modern central hospital, which the administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, the outgoing governor, built in Benin, Buhari said he was impressed with the edifice.
The president also noted that it was “the best way to do things and the best thing to do for the people” by any government.
He also inaugurated the Upper Siluko Road in the state capital and said “the road will stand the test of time.
“Oshiomhole could have built a new Government House but, he chose to construct roads for his people.”
Buhari said he was in the state for the third time to inaugurate projects build by Oshiomhole’s administration.
You became HOS by coup,an illegitimate government and was toppled by coup,so what is the problem? “Soldier come,soldier go,”simple.Why tell gullible nigerians your 30 years old story?If you still habour animosity against those who toppled you,arrest and prosecute them for corruption!
If they are corrupt why are they working on the street free now that you are in power. Oga president think before you open your mouth to speak. In a very civilized state, these people can sue you for character assassination because they are not corrupt until they found guilty by the court. You are a president and not cattle nearer hence you can say anything at will.
IF YOU WERE TOPPLED BY CORRUPT OFFICERS IN 1985, THANK GOD THEY SAY CASE DOES NOT ROT, BESIDES, ALL THE PROTAGONISTS ARE STILL ALIFE AND YOU IN POWER. ONE DOES NOT LOOK FOR ANY OTHER INDICES FOR YOU TO ROUND UP ALL OF THEM FOR PROSECUTION SINCE ANTI CORRUPTION IS STILL THE HALLMARK OF YOUR PRESENT ADMINISTRATION. IF YOU FAIL MR PRESIDENT, NIGERIANS WILL SEE YOUR ANTI CORRUPTION STANCE AS A RUSE.
It appears PMB has put up all the efforts and desperation all these years(four good times) with all the threats and intimidation, just to prove one point; tell Nigerians why he was toppled in 1985? So what? We expect Mr president to act by arrest, investigation and prosecution of those corrupt officers has identified. If he cannot do that, he should display wisdom and maturity commensurate with his age and status. He should, for goodness sake, allow sleeping dogs to lie. He should rather be happy and grateful to God that IBB and his group made the coup a bloodless one, hence he has lived to fight another day. It is equally premature for PMB to start singing hossana now, especially with what Nigerians are passing through in his almost two years in power. This has rather proved those who toppled his regime right, despite our aversion for corruption. PMB can only prove them wrong if things turns out better in the two remaining years of his government. His victory song can only come when he has shown Nigerians that he meant well and is capable to deliver both in his first and second coming.