|
Listen to article
|
Three decades after the controversial annulment of Nigeria’s June 12, 1993, presidential election, former military leader Ibrahim Babangida has openly expressed regret over the move. On Thursday, he admitted that the election was won by the Social Democratic Party’s MKO Abiola, acknowledging the decision’s lasting impact on Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
In his autobiography, A Journey in Service, unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, former leader Ibrahim Babangida characterized the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election as an “accident of history,” a statement found in the concluding section of the book’s 12th chapter.
His remarks, however, drew sharp criticism from pro-democracy groups and notable figures, including Afenifere, the Coalition of Northern Groups, former Ogun State Governor Segun Osoba, legal luminary Mike Ozekhome (SAN), and several other prominent Nigerians.
The Abiola family opted not to comment on Babangida’s admission. Calls to his children, including Hafsat, went unanswered. Abiola’s victory in the historic June 12, 1993, election is still regarded as a landmark in Nigeria’s democratic evolution, with many considering it the country’s fairest vote.
However, Babangida annulled the results, citing concerns over national security.
The annulment sparked nationwide protests and political unrest, forcing Babangida to resign and leading to a prolonged struggle for democracy before the return to civilian rule in 1999.
Admitting his error, the ex-military leader said, “Although I am on record to have stated after the election that Abiola may not have won the election, upon deeper reflection and a closer examination of all the available facts, particularly the detailed election results…there was no doubt that MKO Abiola won the June 12 election.
Read also: Admitting MKO Abiola Won Elections Was Courageous – Tinubu To IBB
“Upon closer examination of the original collated figures from the 110,000 polling booths nationwide, it was clear that he satisfied the two main constitutional requirements for winning the presidential elections, mainly majority votes and geographical spread, having obtained 8,128,720 votes against Tofa’s 5,848,247 votes and securing the mandatory one-third of the votes cast in 28 states of the federation, including Abuja.”
Nonetheless, Babangida noted that Abiola would have been eliminated all the same had he assumed the Presidency.
“Unfortunately, the forces gathered against him after the June 12 elections were so formidable that I was convinced that if he became President, he would be quickly eliminated by the same very forces who pretended to be his friends,” he added.
Speaking at the official launch of his autobiography and fundraiser for the IBB Presidential Library in Abuja, Babangida acknowledged that credible, free and fair elections occurred on June 12, 1993.
He observed, however, that the administration responsible for creating a near-perfect electoral system and overseeing those exemplary elections could not finalise the process.
He described this shortfall as a lamentable “accident of history” while noting that the nation was justifiably owed an expression of his remorse.
