From Moshood Karim
Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has acknowledged that the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
In his newly released autobiography, *A Journey in Service*, launched in Abuja on Thursday, Babangida admitted that, upon reviewing the full election results, there was “no doubt” that Abiola emerged victorious.
The revelation was highlighted by Nigeria’s former Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who reviewed the book at the launch. Quoting Babangida, Osinbajo said: “Although I am on record to have stated after the election that Abiola may not have won, upon deeper reflection and a closer examination of all available facts, particularly the detailed election results published as an appendix to this book, there was no doubt that MKO Abiola won.”
The 1993 election, contested between Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC), is widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll. However, the process was abruptly halted when the military regime ordered the National Electoral Commission (NEC), led by the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, to suspend the announcement of results.
Babangida also admitted in his memoir that, given another opportunity, he would have handled the situation differently.
His remarks add new weight to the decades-long debate over the annulled election, which led to a prolonged political crisis in Nigeria. The late Abiola, who was detained after declaring himself the rightful winner, died in custody in 1998.
Babangida further expressed his satisfaction that former President Muhammadu Buhari posthumously recognised Abiola’s contributions to democracy and conferred upon him Nigeria’s highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR).
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