After 32 years, IBB admits MKO Abiola won June 12 presidential election

The late MKO Abiola was the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and ran against Bashir Tofar of the National Republican Convention (NRC) at the time.

In his autobiography, “A Journey in Service”, which was presented in Abuja on Thursday, Babangida said the ” June 12 saga was undeniable the most challenging moment of my life”.

Babangida was the Nigerian head of state when the June 12 presidential election, believed to be most free and fair poll in the history of the country was conducted.

But he would later annul the results of the election widely believed to have been won by the late business mongul, MKO Abiola.

In his book, IBB admitted that June 12 saga was one of the most challenging moments of his life.

“And in certain respects, one of the most painful. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it differently,” former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who reviewed the book, quoted Babangida to have written.

“There is a full page devoted to the transition from military rule to democracy and the June 12 saga,” Osinbajo added.

“June 12 was a decision with cataclysmic consequences. It was the annulment of what has been said to be the freest and fairest election in Nigeria’s history.

“The annulment led to a military interregnum considered one of the most vicious in Nigeria’s history. The eventual death of the acclaimed winner of the election and his wife.

For the first time, he tells us who annulled the June 12 election and puts the facts out there. He gives his own reasons for the actions that he took, and he admits where he believes he was wrong. He also answers the question whether Abiola won the June 12 election.

“And I quote him: ‘Alhough I’m on record to have admitted after the election that Abiola may have not won the election, upon deeper reflections, and a close examination of all available facts, particularly, the detailed election results which I published as an appendix to this book.

“There was no doubt that MKO Abiola won the June 12 election. Upon closer examination of the original collated figures from the 110 polling booths in the country, it was clear that he satisfied the two main constitutional requirements for winning the presidential election; mainly the majority votes and the geographical spread, having obtained 8,128,720 votes against Tofa’s 5,84,8247 votes and securing the mandatory one third of the vote cast in 28 states of the federation, including Abuja.

I’m gratified that the Buhari administration finally recognised him as a former head of state of Nigeria.”

“Looking back now, the June 12 saga was undeniable the most challenging moment of my life and in certain respects, one of the most painful. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it differently.”