Could this be the beginning of understanding the dramas and intrigues of the historic June 12, 1993 election? Perhaps. Perhaps, too, for the first time, the high priest of that epoch, Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, is going beyond the first layer of the mystery of what is today referred as “June 12.” The retired army general was the military president at the time and he had managed that political process. Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO) was widely believed to have won the election, but Babangida annulled it before the umpire, the National Electoral Commission (NEC), announced the final result. The consequences of that act were dire and the rebounds ugly. Even today, those consequences are still gnawing at the delicate aspects of the country.
Twenty years on, full and authentic story of that period has eluded Nigerians and it is so because, those who are in the know have maintained sealed lips. Well, until now. A book, Ibrahim Babangida: The Military, Politics and Power in Nigeria, written by one of the founding members ofNewswatchmagazine, Dan Agbese, may have given us a serious glimpse into those dark, troubling days. One of the most striking, if surprising, is that, against all expectations and imaginations, IBB, the man who annulled the election, had actually encouraged Abiola in every way possible to run. In an interview with IBB, published in the book, the former military president said he supported Abiola “a lot, morally and financially in the campaign.” He said he gave Abiola N35 million to help in the election.
According to him, before Abiola entered the race, he and Babangida “talked of the pros and cons” of Abiola’s presidential ambition. And when Abiola “eventually decided that he wanted to go (for it), I supported the idea that he should do it.”
According to Babangida, he had wanted to make Abiola the chairman of the Transitional Council because he believed his friend “enjoyed tremendous political goodwill. His name was a household name. He had the international contact and Nigeria too had a very good chance of having someone like him heading that organisation.”
However, according to the book, this proposition was dead on arrival as some of Babangida’s colleagues in the ruling council opposed it. Instead, they agreed to accept him as a member of the council but not the chairman.
Babangida, according to the book, told Abiola he would bring him in as a member and ensure that the members of the Transitional Council elect him chairman.
The book further reveals that the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) had decided that the chairman of the Transitional Council should come from the South West where Abiola came from. But Abiola rather wanted Babangida to announce him as chairman “straight away.” He told Babangida that, that was how his family wanted it because they feared that the president might change his mind once he made him just a member. “Left to me,” says Babangida, “I wanted to make him the chairman. Then he decided and blew it.”
The emergence of the two presidential candidates was equally dramatic. It followed the disqualification of 23 presidential aspirants. According to the book, IBB had regarded the 23 disqualified from participating in the presidential election, as the first 11 among the politicians jostling for power. Their ban thus paved the way for the emergence of new political actors on the stage of the transition programme.
“With the first 11 put out in the cold, there were few runners in the field. Two men easily emerged from the thin crowd of presidential aspirants. One was the billionaire philanthropist, Bashorun M.K.O Abiola, who nursed a presidential ambition going back all the way to the major financiers of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
“He intended to contest the presidential election on the platform of the party in 1983. The party moguls erected obstacle in the way. He quit the party and partisan politics altogether in 1982. He was affected by the ban on former politicians and public office holders and unsuccessfully challenged his ban at the tribunal. With the ban lifted, he joined SDP in January 1993 and was elected the party’s presidential flag bearer at its convention in Jos in March that year.
The other man was Alhaji Bashir Tofa, who, like Abiola, was a national executive member of NPN. He was the party’s national financial secretary. He picked the presidential ticket of the NRC at its convention at Port Harcourt in March 1993.
Both men were Babangida’s close friends.”
Babangida was not quite comfortable with this. He says he feared people would accuse him of manipulating the transition programme to favour his close friends. He even tried to discourage Tofa from contesting the election
“I told him (Tofa) in the presence of about 13 of his colleagues. I advised him not to seek for that election. I didn’t support him. He was not a winning candidate.”
According to the book, even as the chairman of National Electoral Commission, Professor Humphrey Nwosu, had seen the conduct of the presidential election as critical to the entire transition programme and was on ground to see that it ended on a sound note. But the cloud was gathering, as the “National Defence and Security Council did not openly object to the two presidential candidates – Abiola and Tofa – but some elements in the military in cahoots with some of the politicians wanted to stop them from contesting the election.
“Several times the council, pressurised by these elements, came close to disqualifying the two men. Some members of the council felt that neither Abiola nor Tofa was fit to be president. They assailed Abiola’s character. Babangida recalls that “they never saw him as somebody who was morally upright or fit…”
“They tried to blackmail him as a government contractor to whom the government owed a lot of money and they didn’t feel comfortable that this would be their commander – in – chief.”
The book notes how providence smiled on the two presidential candidates and, according to Babangida, the council feared that “ if we stopped it (the election), we would be in trouble again. What was paramount in our mind then was we wouldn’t like to be accused again of not wanting to leave office. So, we said let the bloody thing go on.”
The decision to “let the bloody thing go on,” was actually a fluke. The military, according to Babangida, believed “that we would have an inconclusive election. We thought we should be fair to let it run and when it became inconclusive, then we would take whatever action that we deemed necessary over a re-run or a re-election or something like that.”
The military, the book says, underrated Abiola’s clout, as his followership unsettled those elements in the military that did not like him. “About a week or so before the June 12, 1993, presidential election, security reports indicated that Abiola would certainly trounce Tofa beyond dispute. He would win on the first ballot. The election would not be inconclusive. The report caused some jitters in military circle. What to do?”
The cabal in the military that didn’t want Abiola, was saddled with what line of action to take next.
According to the book, at this stage of confusion in the military hierarchy, former Second Republic senator, Francis Nzeribe, came up with the military-should-stay campaign, which served as tonic for the government. He formed the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN), with Abimbola Davies as his second in command.
“Nzeribe went to Abuja high court on June 10 to stop the presidential election for alleged irregularities and corruption in the conduct of the SDP primaries won by Abiola. ABN alleged that Abiola used money to induce the majority of the delegates to vote for him.
“At 9.30pm on the same day, the court, presided over by justice Bassey Ita Ikpeme, now deceased, threw the spanner into the works. She “restrained (NEC) from conducting the presidential election on the June 12, 1993.”
Her judgment was the first major indication that the transition programme was under serious threat. “Nwosu tried to salvage it. He appeared before the NDSC on June 11 and put a strong argument in favour of going ahead with the election. He argued, quite passionately, that if the election was postponed, the election materials already on site would be compromised.
“NEC had enough protection under the decree to ignore Ikpeme’s ruling. But the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Clement Akpamgbo, had a different take on the issue. He did not support Nwosu’s position. Instead, he advised that the election be postponed in obedience to the order, NEC could then appeal and have the order set aside by a superior court.

Wonder Shall Never End

Lies may run on 200km/hr, but hey, truth is on wings.

I always wondered why Yoruba peeps criticized IBB so much!
Hmmm! Na wah for ALUTA brotherhood o!

This proverbial "NIGERIAN FAWU NYANSH" nor dey take break from "MESSING"?

See "levels"?

How much was OBJ given for "COLLATERAL DAMAGE" since ABIOLA was quenched by the AREWA-ODUDUWA LOOTOCATIC SYNDICATE!

Oya IBB begin CONFESS!

N35m from where? Part of Niger Delta oil money that they have been feasting on.

Any Proof?

I doubt the authenticity of this story

liessssssss

Dis man just dey look for avenue to exonerate himself. Okay, if hin wan make we believe all dis tory, make him go bring Abiola make him come talk hin own.

Give him money for election and turn your back to annul the election. Thats why you are called evil genius

people just lie against a dead person knowing fully well,that the dead person can not come back to defend d lie or accept it!

Nothing really strange about the revelation.
Did Abiola not also help and finance IBB's coup against Buhari

BTW, how did IBB come about N35 million?
How much is the salary of a General and Head of State
What was his Personal Income Tax paid during the period?
Does it reflect earnings that will allow a donation of N=35 million?
It is obvious that the MILITARY coupists and DICTATORS were simply sharing our national cake aka Niger Delta oil while our infrastructures were rotting away and service provision was neglected.

talk true: Give him money for election and turn your back to annul the election. Thats why you are called evil genius

I didnt see any concrete revelation in the whole story.Too late for IBB to exonerate himself for his role in the annulment.Just keep living with the guilt of not the annulment alone but with the numerous atrocities you and your cronies carried out while in power.Repent now as the end is near.

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olukay111: Become a famous artiste & get signed by record labels looking for talented upcoming artiste for record deals/sponsorship!!!

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Get your pin number now!!!
It is this pin number you'll use to print out your form from the address sent to you after verification.
Hurry up now & get your pin number,
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You guys are collecting money from interested artiste abi?


SCAM BASTARDS

same way abacha bribed afenifere

Politic.....what a dirty game and alwayz filed with fabricated lies......

kaorama: N35m from where? Part of Niger Delta oil money that they have been feasting on.

is that the only thing u fools can think of?

Others states are getting industrialized, u moronz only get better in criminal acts and more idle with the only foolish rants of , 'na our oyel'

Dnt u av brains at all?

nerodenero: I didnt see any concrete revelation in the whole story.Too late for IBB to exonerate himself for his role in the annulment.Just keep living with numerous atrocities you and your cronies carried out while in power.Repent now as the end is near.

Concrete? A revelation is a revelation and this is just few of what lies beneath the 'dead and buried behemoth called June 12' you better get used to it! If IBB dies today, more shocker will be revealed!

tomakint:
Concrete? A revelation is a revelation and this is just few of what lies beneath the 'dead and buried behemoth called June 12' you better get used to it! If IBB dies today, more shocker will be revealed!

In your dreams June.

This is History now, you can't raise him from the dead, neither can IBB ever be elected as our leader again.

No point going over and over about this

IBB it ain't your fault anyway.
Yorubas are bloody betrayer they never wanted Abiola couple with his own sins...
Had they power to betray OBJ during 1999 election they would have done it again, because they never wanted him, that's why they did not vote for him

Medicine after death. No amount of confession or revelation will change how Nigerians feel about IBB.
When all there were happening, he should have known & better prepared to (in Akon's voice) 'take the blame on himself'

LAST LINE: If IBB clears himself, who takes the blame for the blood of innocent Nigerians wasted so far in the struggle

I xpect di 4rm IBB, I dnt expect mad ppl 2 bliv dis, IBB claim dat he supported 35millions MKO in june 12.1993, nd annul d election we he realize dat MKO is @ d vast of winning.

Always lieing against the dead

lol IBB knew dey are cotesting in vain dat is why he tried to convince is kinsmen Tofa from wasting is money.hw will IBB finance MKO when him and is goverment own MKO alot of money!e.g d money abiola used to cater for troops deployed to liberia also d one he used to finance IBB coup.

We will never know the truth. Abiola cannot defend himself, can he?

IBB should tell us more about Gloria Okon, Dele Giwa and the 1990 Ejigbo Plane Crash and stop selling a better part of him through this book.

^^^^^^^
Hmmn
IBB is forever giving to run from this questions wey no get answers
But you nailed it, let him stop projecting himself as a hero

If Abiola became President, Nigeria would have been a core Muslim Sharia nation, The man sunked millions of Bible destined to Nigeria at Atlantic Ocean and sponsored coup and wars.

Hate IBB but MKO would have been worse.

Below is what senator Owie have to say about Abiloa:

ormer member of the House of Representatives, former Senate Chief Whip and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rowland Stephen Owie says the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election was a divine recompense for Abiola’s alleged past political misdeeds.

What is your perspective on the June 12, 1993 election?

When people talk about June 12, June 12; June 12 has no meaning. June 12 is the repayment of evil for MKO Abiola.
Whatever you sow, you reap. I said about four years ago that if Abiola had been president he would have been dead.

You think so?

Yes, let me tell you. Before anyone can say that the annulment was evil they should answer four questions. Number one, who was that politician that brought what was called the Maroko land deal to limelight?

Who was that politician who used the Maroko land deal as an albatross on the neck of Chief Obafemi Awolowo? Who is that Nigerian or group of Nigerians who went to Obasanjo and connived with him and removed the Electoral College act from the decree of 1978?

Who is that politician or group of politicians that aided the military to take over the government of President Shehu Shagari in 1983 after the NPN convention? Who is that politician? Who is that politician that aided the military in disqualifying all the major candidates of SDP and NRC?

I say if they can answer it and the answer is negative for MKO Abiola, then the annulment of June 12 is evil. But if the answer is yes and it’s MKO Abiola, the annulment of June 12 was the best thing that happened because you can’t plant mango and reap yam.

In 1979 I was in the UPN as a member of the House of Representatives and there was a provision in the transition decree of 1978/79 which made provision for Electoral College if the presidential election became inconclusive, and it really was inconclusive, because Shagari did not get two-third of the 19 states. So, we were preparing for Electoral College. NPP, GNPP, PRP and UPN we had majority in the National Assembly which constituted the Electoral College.

The late Mallam Aminu Kano of PRP, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim of GNPP, Nnamdi Azikiwe of NPP and Awolowo of UPN had met and we had all met. But three days to the Electoral College Obasanjo removed the clause on Electoral College; he removed the goal post within the run of play.

The Electoral College was removed after the election when we were getting ready for it and that was why Awolowo had no other option and he had to go to court and the judgment gave rise to the issue of 12 2/3! A human being cannot be half, he is either full or… and that is why Justice Sowemimo said that that judgment cannot be quoted in future.

Abiola and Obasanjo were involved as Egbas to remove that clause. Concord brought the headline “Maroko land: Awolowo where is your sincerity”. We were in Minna when it was published. Look it deflated the old man, it scattered him, in fact, he was no longer himself and he started battling how to explain.

Now NPN went for their national convention in Kano and Umaru Dikko, he is alive, he said the presidential candidate of the NPN is not for sale. MKO Abiola wanted the presidential ticket he didn’t get it and he then came and aligned with the military people who now came in.

And IBB came and set up two political parties, Shehu Yar‘adua, Adamu Ciroma and other major contenders in SDP and NRC, overnight the military disqualified all of them,aided and abetted by MKO Abiola.

Because if Yar‘adua were (involved) there was no way MKO would have won. He was not even in contention until the disqualification of these major contenders.

That is why I said that June 12 was a repayment for evil that was done against other people.