Nigeria: Babangida admits late MKO Abiola won June 12 Presidential Election 32 years after

*Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Rtd.), ex-Military President, also known as IBB, acknowledges that late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the country’s June 12, 1993, Presidential Election, stating ‘he satisfied all the requirements’

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Over two decades after what many Nigerians have described as the “evil annulment” of the overwhelming electoral victory, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Rtd.), ex-Military President, also known as IBB, has acknowledged that late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola (1937–1998), actually won the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election in the West African country.

ConsumerConnect reports former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, who disclosed this Thursday, February 20, 2025, in Abuja, FCT, while reviewing IBB’s autobiography, said the former Military President, some also called “Evil Genius”, admitted that late Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12 Presidential Election.

Babangida’s book is entitled: “A Journey in Service”.

Late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola 

Osinbajo affirmed that IBB penned that MKO Abiola, who contested the Presidential Election on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), secured the majority of votes, and the geographical spread to be the president.

The “Evil Genius” also described his administration’s willful annulment of the June 12 Presidential Election, adjudged as the freest and fairest ever in the political history of Nigeria, as the most challenging aspect of his life thus far.

Babangida finally declared in the book: “There was no doubt in my mind; MKO Abiola won the election. He satisfied all the requirements.”

The former Military President, however, noted that he was happy that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari later acknowledged that Abiola won the election, and subsequently honoured him with the greatest national title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), which is for Presidents.

How Buhari conferred GCFR on late Abiola: Tinubu

It is recalled that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, current Nigerian President, in 2018, had announced that former President Buhari had affirmed that Abiola, indeed, won the 1993 Presidential Election.

Asiwaju Tinubu said this while addressing guests during the events to mark the 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium that commemorates Tinubu’s 66th Birthday celebration at the Eko Hotel and Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos.

President Buhari, by declaring June 12 as Democracy Day and awarding  Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) to late MKO Abiola, has confirmed that Abiola won the 1993 election, Tinubu stated.

Tinubu, a former Senator and Governor of Lagos and one of the pro-democracy activists who spent years in exile, and was part of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), disclosed the affirmation in a statement 2018, titled, “The Immortalisation of Chief MKO Abiola”, issued by Mr. Tunde Rahman, then, his Media Officer and one of his current Presidential Media aides.

According to Tinubu, Buhari administration’s award of the GCFR signified an acknowledgement that late MKO Abiola should have been allowed to serve as president after winning the free and fair expression of the popular will of the people.

Buhari had declared June 12 as new National Democracy Day with effect from 2019.

Besides Chief MKO Abiola, who was posthumously awarded the highest award of GCFR, erstwhile President Buhari also said Abiola’s running mate in the election, Amb. Babagana Kingibe, and late human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) were vested with Grand Commander of the Niger (GCON).

‘Posthumous awards for Abiola, others good news’

Speaking on Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as the country’s National Democracy Day, Tinubu had said that the official announcement was a good news for democracy and a proud moment for Nigeria.

Buhari ‘s decision has corrected the wrongs of the past, stated he.

Tinubu had stated: “Along with all democratic and fair-minded Nigerians, I welcome the news that June 12 will replace May 29 as Democracy Day.

I too applaud Buhari for making this courageous and rightful decision.

“He has shown all Nigerians and the world that we have the moral fortitude to objectively face our history, learn from it and improve our society by virtue of this learning.”

He equally noted: “June 12, more than any other day, symbolises the struggles and sacrifices made by countless Nigerians to establish democracy as our way of national governance.

“Chief MKO Abiola and others gave their lives that we might have democracy, that the will of the people will be sovereign and not suppressed by the will of the few.”

Asiwaju Tinubu  averred: “This proclamation by Buhari will forever immortalise the sacrifices made by these patriots who gave off themselves in service of such a noble and rightful purpose.”

He added: “This fulfilment comes with a civic responsibility. We must consecrate this new holiday and ourselves so that we make it a living holiday.

“More so than ever before, the spirit of June 12 must live within us. It must guide our politics and how we govern ourselves.

“We must continuously dedicate ourselves to the freedoms and rights as well as the duties that democracy bestows on us all, political friend and foe alike.”

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