Former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida has publicly admitted, for the first time in thirty-two years after the controversial annulment of Nigeria’s June 12, 1993, presidential election, that Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, the late philanthropist and democratic hero, won the election.
This revelation came in Babangida’s new book, A Journey in Service: An Autobiography of Ibrahim Babangida, launched in Abuja on Thursday in the presence of notable national and continental dignitaries.
The book, spanning 420 pages, sheds light on Babangida’s reflections, including his account of the election and its aftermath.
In the book’s review, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo noted how Babangida, once dubbed the “evil genius” and “Maradona” for his political maneuvers, addressed the longstanding question of whether Abiola won the election.
Babangida confessed that although he had previously doubted Abiola’s victory, a more thorough review of the election results, which are published as an appendix in the book, made it clear that Abiola indeed triumphed in the June 12, 1993, election.
The annulment of the election remains one of the most contentious decisions in Nigerian history. Often hailed as the country’s freest and fairest election, it was annulled by Babangida’s military government, sparking widespread protests and political instability.
Abiola, after declaring himself president, was arrested by the military government of General Sani Abacha and later died in detention under mysterious circumstances in 1998.
In 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari moved Nigeria’s Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12 in honor of Abiola’s legacy and the significance of the election. This day now serves as a reminder of the ideals of democracy and the struggles of the Fourth Republic, which began 25 years ago.
The book launch in Abuja attracted some of the nation’s most prominent figures, including former Presidents 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 in attendance, along with business tycoons such as Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Folorunsho Alakija.
