Members of the Northern Senators Forum have felicitates former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, as he clocks 85, hailing his contributions to Nigeria’s unity and governance structure.
In a birthday message signed by Forum Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, the Senators said IBB’s decision to create 11 states between 1987 and 1991 addressed long-standing demands for inclusion.
The new states listed include Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Enugu, Jigawa, Abia, Osun, Taraba, Yobe, Delta, Kebbi, and Kogi.
The lawmakers noted that for Northern Nigeria, the creation of Katsina, Jigawa, Taraba, Kebbi, Yobe and Kogi “brought government closer to the people and opened up rural development.”
They also praised Babangida for moving the Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja in 1991, describing it as a bold step toward national integration.
“That move was a statement of neutrality and long-term planning. Today, Abuja stands as a symbol of Nigeria’s unity in diversity,” the statement read.
The Senators said Babangida assumed leadership at a time the nation “yearned for stability, for calm, and for a sense of direction,” and that Nigeria remained united under his watch.
They prayed for continued good health and wisdom for the former leader, adding that “your boldness in restructuring the federation has earned you a place in history.”
“May the ideals you pursued, of a stable, united, and prosperous Nigeria, be fully realized in our time,” the Forum stated.
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