[b]Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday said the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections was predicted by former presidential aspirant of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), the late Maj-Gen Sheu Musa Yar’Adua.

The election won by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola of the SDP, was annulled by former military president Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).

Atiku said the North decided to endorse Abiola because the South-West, his region, would resist the annulment of the poll.

He was speaking at the presentation in Lagos of a book entitled: Diary of a debacle: Tracking Nigeria’s failed democratic transition (1989-1994), written by journalism teacher and master satirist, Dr Olatunji Dare.

It was the first public function he attended along with the leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria (A C N), following his defection from the old Action Congress(AC) early in the year.

The cream of society, cutting across the political class, traditional institution, clergy and media, converged on the Agip Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos for the ceremony.

Atiku, who bought the book for N2.5 million, limited his narration to his involvement in the critical Jos, Plateau State primaries of the SDP which generated tension following the earlier decision of northern delegates not to vote for Abiola.

His revelation echoed the popular sentiment then that the late business mogul-turned politician was strategically endorsed as the presidential candidate in 1993.

Atiku, the Turakin Adamawa, recalled that many Nigerians never trusted the transition programme of Gen. Babangida, pointing out that "one Nigerian who predicted the annulment was the late Maj-Gen Yar’Adua’.

‘Before the primaries, the northern delegates met and decided to vote for Abiola. The calculation was that I would emerge as his deputy. At the first primaries, Abiola emerged first and I was third. Delegates were not happy. I invited Yar’Adua to Jos to resolve the impasse. He drove in the night and arrived in the morning in Jos. He appealed to the delegates to vote for Abiola at the second ballot for two reasons.

"One, Yar’Adua said the West voted for me in the SDP primaries. Second, if either Atiku or Kingibe emerges, Babangida would most likely annul the election and if he did it, the North was not politically sophisticated to protest. But if you annul Abiola’s election, the West was politically sophisticated to resist it and that was what exactly happened", he said.

The former Vice President said the prediction of Gen Yar’Adua came to pass, recalling that, when the poll was annulled, the West boiled.

Atiku, who prayed for the repose of Abiola and Yar’Adua said they paid the supreme price[/b].