Finally, President Muhammadu Buhari has broken silence on why he was ousted from office by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida as the military Head of State 31 years ago.
Buhari who made the revelation in a chat with newsmen said he was overthrown because he wanted to probe the military hierarchy for corruption.
The president disclosed that the former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Aliyu Gusau led senior military leaders to oust him from office in August 1985, to save themselves from his wrath.
Buhari who challenged Babangida and Gusau not to be economical with the truth charged them to make public their reason behind the coup against him.
“I learnt,” he said, “that Aliyu Gusau, who was in charge of intelligence, took import licence from the ministry of commerce which was in charge of supplies and gave it to Alhaji Mai Deribe.
“It was worth N100,000, a lot of money at that time. I confronted them and took the case to the Army council in a memo…I wanted Gusau punished.”
Recalled that General Ibrahim Babangida had earlier accused President Muhammadu Buhari of submitting an empty memo to the Army council.
“Don’t forget that I was one of Buhari’s closest aides. I was the chief of army staff. So, I had an important position, an important role to play within that administration. I don’t think it had to do with a memo,” IBB said.
But in a tone which suggested that the past may neither have been forgotten nor forgiven, Buhari challenged Babangida and Gusau to come clean on why they removed him, asking The Interview to choose whose story to believe.”
