Babangida Makes U-Turn 32 Years After, Says MKO Abiola Won June 12 Election
Thirty-two years after his controversial annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Nigeria’s former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, admitted for the first time that the late philanthropist and democracy hero Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the election.
The startling revelation was contained in Babangida’s 420-page memoir titled, ‘A Journey in Service: An Autobiography of Ibrahim Babangida’ which was launched in Abuja on Thursday with continental and national dignitaries in attendance.
The book reviewer, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said the “evil genius” and “Maradona” as Babangida was nicknamed answered the question as to whether Abiola won the June 12 election or not in his book.
“Although I am on record to have stated after the election that Abiola may not have won the election, upon further reflection, and a closer examination of all available facts, particularly the detailed election results which are published as an appendix to this book, there was no doubt that MKO Abiola won the June 12 elections,” Babangida admitted in his book.
“Upon closer examination of the original collated figure from the 110 polling booths nationwide, it was clear that he satisfied the two main requirements for winning the presidential election – mainly majority votes and geographical spread – having obtained 8,128,720 against Tofa’s 5,848,247 votes and securing the mandatory of one-third of the votes cast in 28 states of the Federation including Abuja.”
Babangida’s admittance lent credence to the initial submission of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who said years ago that if not for “bad belle” – Nigerian colloquial for bad blood, MKO Abiola would have become Nigeria’s President after the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
The annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election between Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and his main challenger Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC) sparked protests and unrest nationwide.
Buoyed by the incontrovertible evidence of his electoral victory, Abiola declared himself as president. He was not only denied his mandate but was imprisoned by the military regime of Sani Abacha who was Babangida’s chief of defence staff. The political colossus died in troubling and deeply suspicious circumstances in detention on July 7, 1998.
The credibility or otherwise of the poll has dominated political discussions for decades with pro-democracy movement National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and regional socio-political group Afenifere relentlessly demanding a remedy for the “injustice” done to Abiola and the Yoruba people of the South-West zone of Nigeria.
As a sort of remedy or compensation, in 2018, then President Muhammadu Buhari moved Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12 in honour of Abiola and to remind all Nigerians of one of the freest elections in the nation’s history. The day is to celebrate the ideals of democracy since the beginning of the Fourth Republic 25 years ago.
Babangida, in his memoir, said he was gratified that Buhari recognised Abiola as a former head of state.
The book launch has some of the most decorated men in attendance including former Presidents and Heads of State Goodluck Jonathan, Yakubu Gowon, and Abdulsalami Abubakar as well as former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar and Namadi Sambo.
President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were also present. Billionaire businesspersons including Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Folorunsho Alakija, among others, were not left out of the roll call of the who’s who.
While former President Muhammadu Buhari was represented at the event, Obasanjo was conspicuously absent from the book launch. Ghana’s former President Nana Akufo-Addo was also spotted at the event.
