A former military head of state, Ibrahim Babangida acknowledged that MKO Abiola, the Social Democratic Party’s candidate, had won the June 12, 1993, presidential election and apologised for its cancellation on Thursday.
The former leader called the annulment of the election an “accident of history” in the last paragraph of the 12th chapter of his book, “A Journey In Service,” which was released Thursday in Abuja.
However, many people and pro-democracy organisations, including the Afenifere, the Coalition of Northern Groups, Mike Ozhekome (SAN), Segun Osoba, the former governor of Ogun State, and other well-known Nigerians, criticised and reacted to his remorse.
However, the Abiola family was silent on IBB’s admission. Calls to Abiola’s children, including Hafsat and others, did not elicit any response.
The June 12, 1993, election, won by the businessman and politician, Abiola, was considered Nigeria’s freest and fairest.
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.
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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.
“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.
“Undoubtedly credible, free and fair elections were held in June, on June 12, 1993. However, the tragic irony of history remains that the administration that devised a near-perfect electoral system and conducted those near-perfect elections could not complete the process.
“That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled to expect my impression of regret,” said Babangida.
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Accepting full responsibility for all decisions made during his leadership of the military government, the former Nigerian leader further noted that the events of June 12 unfolded on his watch, with errors, oversights and misjudgements occurring rapidly.
Nevertheless, he maintained that each action was taken in the overriding interest of Nigeria’s survival.
He also expressed regret that the country’s democratic progress was interrupted, yet emphasised that both Nigeria and its democracy endure.
“As a leader of the military administration, I accept full responsibility for all decisions taken under my watch. And June 12 happened under my watch; mistakes, oversights and missteps happened in quick succession, but I say in my book, in all matters, we acted in the supreme national interest so that Nigeria could survive.
“Our nation’s march to democracy was interrupted, a fact I deeply regret. But Nigeria’s democracy is still alive, a testament to commitment,” he noted.
