Babangida Finally Admits MKO Abiola Won June 12 Election, 32 Years Later

Former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida has made a U-turn, admitting for the first time that MKO Abiola won the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election.

Thirty-two years following the contentious annulment of the presidential election held on June 12, 1993, Nigeria’s former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, has publicly acknowledged for the first time that the late philanthropist and champion of democracy, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, was the rightful winner of that election.

This significant admission is detailed in Babangida’s 420-page memoir, titled ‘A Journey in Service: An Autobiography of Ibrahim Babangida,’ which was launched in Abuja on Thursday, attended by various continental and national dignitaries.

The book was reviewed by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who noted that Babangida, often referred to as the “evil genius” and “Maradona,” addressed the question of Abiola’s victory in his writings.

“While I previously stated that Abiola may not have won the election, upon further reflection and a thorough review of all pertinent facts, especially the comprehensive election results included as an appendix in this book, it is now clear that MKO Abiola indeed won the June 12 elections,” Babangida confessed in his memoir.

“Upon a detailed analysis of the original collated figures from the 110 polling booths across the nation, it became evident that he met the two primary criteria for winning the presidential election—namely, majority votes and geographical distribution—having garnered 8,128,720 votes compared to Tofa’s 5,848,247, and achieving the necessary one-third of the votes cast in 28 states of the Federation, including Abuja.”

In his address, Babangida, commonly known as IBB, stated to the audience that the annulment of the election was executed in the “extreme national interest.”

“As the leader of the military administration, I take full responsibility for all decisions made during my tenure. The events of June 12 occurred under my leadership. Mistakes, oversights, and misjudgments can occur rapidly, but I assert in my book that in all instances, we acted in extreme national interest to ensure Nigeria’s survival,” he remarked.

Babangida’s acknowledgment supported the earlier assertion made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who stated years ago that if not for “bad belle”—a Nigerian term for animosity—MKO Abiola would have ascended to the presidency of Nigeria following the June 12, 1993, election.

The restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999 was preceded by a tumultuous series of events, some of which were marked by violence and turmoil. In 1993, Babangida, who had seized power in 1985 through a coup against General Muhammadu Buhari, initiated a transition to civilian governance with the presidential election of that year. However, he later annulled the election and resigned amid widespread protests and civil unrest.

Following this, Babangida established an interim government, appointing businessman Ernest Sonekan as president, while Sani Abacha served as Chief of Defence Staff and Minister of Defence. On November 18, 1993, just three months into Sonekan’s administration, Abacha executed a palace coup, ousting Sonekan.

The annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which pitted Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) against his principal opponent Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC), ignited widespread protests and civil disorder across the nation.

Confident in the undeniable evidence of his electoral success, Abiola proclaimed himself president. However, he was not only stripped of his rightful mandate but was also imprisoned by the military regime led by Sani Abacha, who had been Babangida’s Chief of Defence Staff.

The prominent political figure died under suspicious and troubling circumstances while in detention on July 7, 1998, at the age of 60. His wife, Kudirat, was brutally assassinated on June 4, 1996.

Following the demise of Abacha, General Abdulsalami Abubakar assumed control and facilitated the transition to democratic governance, culminating in the election of former head of state Obasanjo as president under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This event marked the commencement of the democratic period referred to as the Fourth Republic. Obasanjo had previously served as the military head of state from February 1976 to October 1979 before being elected as the country’s president from 1999 to 2007.

For many years, the legitimacy of the election has been a focal point of political discourse, with the pro-democracy group National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and the regional socio-political organization Afenifere persistently advocating for justice regarding the grievances faced by the Abiolas and the Yoruba people in Nigeria’s South-West region.

In a gesture of acknowledgment, President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2018, shifted Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12 to honor Abiola and to remind Nigerians of one of the most transparent elections in the nation’s history. This day serves to celebrate the principles of democracy that have been upheld since the inception of the Fourth Republic 25 years ago.

In his memoir, Babangida expressed his satisfaction that Buhari recognized Abiola as a former head of state. He reflected on the June 12 events, describing them as one of the most challenging and painful periods of his life, stating, “If I had to do it all over again, I would do it differently.”

The book launch attracted numerous distinguished individuals, including former Presidents and Heads of State such as Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Yakubu Gowon, and Abdulsalami Abubakar, along with former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar and Namadi Sambo. President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were also in attendance, alongside prominent business figures like Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Folorunsho Alakija, among others. Former President Muhammadu Buhari was represented at the event.