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The controversial annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election by then-Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, irreversibly altered Nigeria’s democratic journey, says Fela Durotoye, a former presidential candidate of the now-defunct Alliance for New Nigeria.
He described the decision as a major blow to the nation’s political development, lamenting its “devastating impact” on Nigeria’s governance and public trust in elections.
The leadership coach observed that Nigerians began to doubt the power of their votes following the contentious annulment of an election that was largely seen as transparent and democratic, a moment that deepened public disillusionment with the electoral system.
Durotoye participated in the Sunday episode of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a Channels Television socio-political program focused on national discourse.The former presidential hopeful stated that the controversial annulment of the June 12 election, over 30 years ago, weakened Nigerians’ faith in the democratic process and fueled a culture of political disengagement.
He said, “The past does not shape the future; it only shapes the present. It is now that matters because we like to look back at the things that happened. I would almost have not wanted to comment about the IBB book launch except for the fact that it had such a devastating impact on our trajectory as a nation.
“One of the most devastating things that we didn’t realise was that it was that particular moment that the people came to the conclusion that ‘our votes don’t count’. From that moment was when you start hearing: ‘Our votes don’t count’. It was that annulment that embedded that (votes not counting) into the consciousness of the people.
“The danger of ‘my votes don’t count’ is that the majority have become the minority. Look at the number of registered voters and look at the number of votes that are counted.”
According to Durotoye, Nigeria’s elections are shaped by four categories of votes: mobilized votes, monetized votes, manufactured votes, and manipulated votes. He noted that collectively, these votes fell short of representing even half of the total registered voters in the 2023 polls.
Read also: I Feared MKO Might Not Be An Effective President – IBB Admits
“Even with all of that, go and look at the number of votes that are cast and the number of registered voters, and you realised that the concept of ‘my votes don’t count’ is the most powerful thing that the rulers have used to suppress us.
On Thursday, February 20, 2025, 32 years after he annulled the June 12, 1993 election, 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 with continental and national dignitaries in attendance. The “evil genius” and “Maradona” as Babangida was nicknamed answered the question as to whether Abiola won the June 12 election in his book.
