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Former Military president and frontline presidential aspirant in the 2011 elections, General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), has called for caution in the siege on President Goodluck Jonathan, pleading that he be left alone to choose his deputy.

He predicated his advice on the need for Jonathan “ to select a vice president who can defer to him, and who will respect the sanctity of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Such a vice president, according to him, will work for Nigeria through the president.” He spoke through his media spokesman, Prince Kassim Afegbua, in a statement yesterday.

He further buttressed his advice with the fact that the president must know the elements and mindset of his deputy, and must be able to establish the fact that such individual will buy into his agenda of providing sound leadership for the country.

“ He has the prerogative and should be allowed to exercise it without equivocation or undue pressure from certain quarters. Nobody should impose any candidate on the president on account of what is called “political balancing and expediency,” he submitted.

As the race for the office of vice president climaxes with a final meeting tonight in Abuja, a new twist in the contention list has emerged, with the name of Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, General Buba Marwa (retd), Governors of Kaduna State , Mohammed Namadi Sambo, and Kebbi State, Usman Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, joining Niger State Muazu Aliyu Babangida, as frontrunners.

This is the first time the name of the former military administrator of Lagos State would be linked to the seat since the jostling for the seat began nearly three months ago.
From all pointers, the searchlight appears to be pointing more in the direction of a state governor, as the commanding influence of governors in the selection process assumed dizzying heights since the death of the former president last week.
Daily Sun learnt that a mutual unwritten understanding had been reached between the president and the restive governors in the last few days on the 2011 presidential race, party chairmanship slot, among other issues.

Marwa joined the list of three contenders on the basis of his excellent performance as military administrator of Lagos State.
His entry into the race rounds up the three geo-political zones of the North, since he is from the North East. Governors Dakingari and Sambo are from North West, while Aliyu Babangida is from North Central.