Over three decades after annulling the acclaimed freest and fairest June 12, 1993, presidential election, former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida has, publicly admitted that the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the poll.
Babangida’s newly launched 420-page memoir, A Journey in Service: An Autobiography of Ibrahim Babangida, unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, made the disclosure.
The event was attended by prominent figures from across Nigeria and beyond.
In his book, Babangida, widely known as IBB, admitted that his earlier claims suggesting Abiola might not have won were incorrect.
“Upon further reflection and a closer examination of all available facts—particularly the detailed election results published as an appendix to this book—it is clear that MKO Abiola won the June 12 election,” he wrote.
He cited official figures from the 110 polling booths nationwide, showing that Abiola secured 8,128,720 votes against his main challenger Bashir Tofa’s 5,848,247 votes. Abiola also met the constitutional requirement of securing one-third of votes cast in at least 28 states, including Abuja.
In what appears to be contradiction after confirming Abiola’s victory, Babangida maintained that the annulment was done in “extreme national interest.”
“As the leader of the military administration, I accept full responsibility for all decisions taken under my watch. Mistakes, oversights, and missteps happened in quick succession, but I affirm in my book that every decision, including June 12, was made to ensure Nigeria’s survival,” he stated.
The annulment, which remains one of Nigeria’s most controversial political decisions, triggered nationwide protests and unrest. Following the backlash, Babangida resigned in August 1993, handing power to an interim government led by businessman Ernest Shonekan. However, within three months, General Sani Abacha overthrew Shonekan in a palace coup.
Refusing to let his mandate be stolen, Abiola declared himself president in 1994, leading to his arrest by Abacha’s military regime. He remained imprisoned until his death under suspicious circumstances on July 7, 1998, a month after Abacha himself died. His wife, Kudirat Abiola, was also assassinated in 1996.
The return to democracy in 1999, which saw former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo elected as president, marked the beginning of the Fourth Republic. However, the controversy surrounding June 12 remained a major topic in Nigerian politics.
In 2018, then-President Muhammadu Buhari sought to address the injustice by declaring June 12 as Nigeria’s official Democracy Day, replacing May 29. He also posthumously honored Abiola as a former president.
Reflecting on these events in his memoir, Babangida expressed regret over how the situation unfolded.
“Looking back, the June 12 saga was the most challenging moment of my life and, in some respects, one of the most painful. If I had to do it again, I would do it differently,” he wrote.
Babangida’s book launch was attended by an array of high-profile 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 present, alongside billionaire business moguls Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Folorunsho Alakija.