Former Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has acknowledged that the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
The controversial election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest, has been a subject of debate for decades, with various accounts of the events leading to its annulment by the military government.
However, in his autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service’, launched in Abuja on Thursday, Babangida admitted he was convinced Abiola emerged victorious.
This was revealed by Nigeria’s immediate past Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who reviewed the book.
Osinbajo said, “He also answers the question whether Abiola actually won the June 12 election, and I quote him, ‘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 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.’”
The former Vice President also quoted Babangida as saying that if given another chance, he would have handled the events surrounding the election differently.
Abiola, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), contested against Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC). As results were being announced, the military regime ordered the then National Electoral Commission (NEC), led by the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, to halt the process.
In his book, Babangida expressed satisfaction that former President Muhammadu Buhari later recognised Abiola and posthumously conferred on him the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), Nigeria’s highest national honour.
Tribune
