Why Buhari shunned IBB’s book launch – APC Chieftain Vatsa

• Says he will comment on the book at the appropriate time

From John Adams, Minna

The former commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism and Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger state, Jonathan Vatsa has said that he is not surprised that former President Mohammadu Buhari decided to stay away from the public presentation of Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida’s autobiography book “the Journey of Service” in Abuja on Thursday, saying that the former is yet to let go the 1985 coup by the later that removed him from the office.

Speaking to newsmen in Minna on Saturday on why he will not be in a hurry to comment on the book because he has read it, pointed out that it would have been the 9th wonders of the world if former president Buhari had attended the book lunch.

Vatsa alleged that the memory of the “mother of all betrayal” and his subsequent detention by Babangida, denying him the lifetime opportunity to bid his late mother a farewell after her death was yet to leave him.

Recalled the book lunch had in attendant, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, formers Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, former Military Heads of state, Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar, former President of Ghana Akufo-Ado, former Sierra-Loan President Ernest Koroma, former Vice Presidents, Atiku Abubakar, Yomi Osinbajo, Namadi Sambo, Traditional rulers among other personalities, including states governors.

He however said that he has been vindicated by Buhari action when he (Vatsa) told the whole world that former president Buhari neglected Niger State during the eight years of his administration, despite the overwhelming votes given to him during his first and second term in office.

According to him, “the whole world knows that Niger State was made a scapegoat by former President Buhari because of IBB. For eight years he did not pay any serious official visit to the state, and no single federal project was executed in the state. The Baro port project, which recently generated some political heat in the state, was abandoned by Buhari, including all the federal road projects across the state.

“The people of the state were made to pay for sin they know nothing about. It was the case that when two elephants fight, the grass suffered. He sidelined the state just because of the sin of one person.”

When asked to comment on the book that has continued to generate reactions across the country, the former publicity secretary of the APC in the state said that he will comment on the book after digesting all the contents, stressing that “there are things that I am expecting from the book, so you people should wait until I read it, I will invite all of you when I am ready to comment on the book”, he added