IBB sets agenda for Buhari, lists restructuring, security, economy as priority areas •Commends Atiku’s gallantry

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, has set an agenda for President Muhammadu Buhari’s second coming, listing restructuring and power devolution, insecurity in the North-East, the need to formulate economic policies that will stimulate and address youth unemployment as key priority areas.

In a statement personally signed by him and made available to newsmen on Saturday, Babangida tasked Buhari on the urgency to confront insecurity of lives and property across the country, describing insecurity as the “most urgent problem” confronting the country.

“Now that the President has won his re-election bid, he should confront with renewed vigour the most urgent problem confronting Nigeria: ‘insecurity of lives and property’. The Boko Haram insurgency remains a threat to many Nigerians, particularly in the North-East sub region, while the twin evils of kidnapping and armed robbery/armed banditry remain a major national menace. The president must pay priority attention to these security issues.

“The economy of the country must also occupy the president’s urgent attention. There is the need to be more creative in formulating policies that will improve the nation’s economy, create employment opportunities and give hope to our teaming youths.

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“The President may wish to heed to the yearnings of reasonable Nigerians for restructuring and seek all constitutional means to devolve some powers presently exercised by the Federal Government to the other tiers of government,” Babangida said.

While congratulating Buhari for winning a second term of office in a keenly contested election, the Minna-born General saluted the doggedness and gallantry of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, noting that his support cut across ethnic, religious and regional lines.

He urged President Buhari to resist the temptation to see his challengers as enemies, but to view them as fellow citizens compatriots who held a different perspective from his on how best the country would move forward.

“The newly elected president should heal the wounds of the heated campaign exchanges by embracing those who contested alongside with him. The President must resist the temptation to see them as enemies; not even opponents, but fellow compatriots who merely disagreed with him on how best to move our country forward,” he said.

Babangida tasked Atiku to join hands with Buhari in “objective and constructive manner” to deepen democracy in the country, urging the PDP candidate to persuade his admirers and supporters to avoid bitterness and violence.

He praised Nigerians for largely conducting themselves in a peaceful manner during the polls, just as he decried the death of some citizens in some parts of the country at the polls.