Not so much because of lack of performance by the incumbent or even the constitutional implication, but rather, because they feel that they had either waited for too long at the corridor, or that their rights to reclaim what gun-fully belonged to them is being trampled.

As controversial as the idea of an Obasanjo third term may appear, it would seem as the only sensible option left for Nigerians to ponder. If the seismic reading of the current political climate in the country were to be measured and released to the public, not a single soul will remain under its territory. We would have all made a run for higher grounds, or even made it as far as to our neighboring countries for fear of Tsunami scale political tidal wave and its attendant consequence.

Nigerians, unfortunately have been under-estimating the scale of the bad political landscape our politicians, particularly those eying the 2007 presidency created for us. The giant-trio of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida; ANPP presidential candidate in the 2003 elections, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar have become fighting elephants, trampling on the already withered short grass called Nigeria.

It is no secret that Babangida does not see eye to eye with either Buhari, or the Turaki whom he considers the main obstacle to his ambition of becoming a civilian president; a privilege that he seriously believes he earned by doing us the favor of “stepping aside” in 1993 and for inviting President Obasanjo to temporarily step-in to appease the “bloody Yorubas” who would have forgotten all about June 12, 1993 in a mere four years. For the children of the great Odudua however, time is no healer.

Apparently, gauging by the negative reaction of the people of the south-west to the news that the Maradona will contest in 2007, one can easily predict that the Afenifere and YCE, the two socio-cultural groups that are the heart-beat of the Yoruba political base, did not give their blessings. The disenchantment to the prospect of a Babangida presidency is not limited to the south-west alone. In the north, only Niger state can be said to be Maradona territory. The rest of the region is shared between Atiku and Buhari supporters.

The poor people of the North, easily the most docile on earth, have this time, after being pushed to the wall, through years of hardships, particularly during his imperial reign as military president, would not want to turn back the clock. They contended with more than fair-share of misfortunes like having to lose overnight, their life savings through Naira devaluation and other economic reforms that had poison written all over them.

Though the Vice President may have had his shortcomings in the discharge of his office; he may even have stepped on the toes of his boss; but in all honesty and fairness, show me one politician in this country or indeed anywhere in the democratic world, that would have had the support of virtually all the PDP governors and party leadership at the primaries as the vice president did, and then concede the honor to his boss? Only Atiku Abubakar could do that. Yet, instead of applauding him for his magnanimity and respect for the president, he is being picked on for an impromptu statement made under political duress from the governors, their supporters and some hounding mercenary reporters waiting for such political hick-up to draw their headlines.

The Vice President had also willingly on various occasions, out of loyalty I believe, served as fall-guy to the president, taking the heat off his boss, even when he did not have to. The Sharia debacle had for instance, taken a great toll on the political and moral standing of the Turaki in his primary constituency, the North.

As the chairman of the federal government’s privatization programme, the vice president was yet, shouldered with a responsibility that earned him curses and bad name from majority of Nigerians who are opposed to it; and did not bother with the fact that the Turaki was only carrying out an assignment that was deliberated at the Economic Council and Council of State meetings. If the President did not want privatization to take place during his tenure, it would certainly not take place, even though we are all aware of its inevitability. But the fact that Atiku was the chairman saved the president all the headaches and the accompanying bad press.

Over all, despite stern accusation from certain quarters that the vice president had not been loyal to his commander-in-chief, it is on record that apart from facilitating chief Obasanjo’s second term, the Turaki was also able to foil the alleged security breach against the government, while all the others on the list of the presidential race, had the record of either bringing down a democratic government or annulling what was adjudged as the fairest-ever general elections in the history of this country; and even palace coups against each other. They, therefore, lack any democratic credential or the moral rectitude to ask Nigerians to put them into the nation’s highest office.

Nigerians also know that the much speculated widening gulf between the president and his vice is nothing, but a creation of the opposition to bring anxiety and tension into the Atiku camp, with the ultimate aim of winning-over the victims of such propaganda. The President himself had at various times refuted such allegation and assured Nigerians that all had been well between them. The bottom line here is that, there is nothing too serious as to warrant Chief Obasanjo to call for the Vice President’s head. In other words, those who advance such speculations are in a way, questioning the President’s political mind and clout, when it is obvious that he is, today, a better politician than even those who drafted him into the game.

At any rate, I genuinely believe that Nigerians have had enough of the Babangida years to even contemplate the thought of his return. We do not have to be reminded that it was during his rule that the ethno-religious harmony and the wonderful co-existence between particularly the peoples of the north got shattered and which after effect, the Obasanjo administration is still struggling to manage. I know some people may try to argue that the Maitatsine calamity of the Shehu Shagari era was the first. To the contrary, the group was nothing, but a cult that took on mostly on its Muslim brothers, and any soul that happened to be within the strike area irrespective of religious consideration.

Therefore, the question of president Obasanjo rooting for a Babangida presidency or for any former military ruler for that matter does not even arise. Because in most advanced democracies, including our role-model, the United States of America, the Vice President is the natural heir to the departing president (at party level). Besides, if the constitution can allow a former Junta that led this country for eight years to still lay claim for another eight under democratic mandate, there is no reason why the same constitution should not allow President Obasanjo as a democrat to go for a third term. He will surely.