By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Ex-Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has described the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which late Basorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won, as freest and fairest.
Babangida said that he accepts responsibility for the event that led to the annulment of the election.
The June 12 election has been a heated topic with different accounts of the events narrated by different parties.
However, in his autobiography: “A Journey in Service,” which was launched in Abuja, on Thursday, the former President said he was convinced that Abiola won.
This is according to Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s immediate past Vice President, who reviewed the book.
Osinbajo said: “He also answers the question whether Abiola actually won the June 12 election, and I quote him, ‘although I am on record to have stated after the election that Abiola may not have won the election, upon deeper reflection and a closer examination of all available facts, particularly the detailed election results, which are published as an appendix to this book, there was no doubt that MKO Abiola won the June 12 elections.”
The former Vice-President quoted IBB to have said, given another chance, he would handle events of June 12 election differently.
Abiola, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the election adjudged as Nigeria’s freest, was up against Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC).
The results of the election were trickling in when the military regime ordered the then National Electoral Commission (NEC) under the leadership of late Professor Humphrey Nwosu to halt the exercise.
In his book, Babangida was quoted to have said he was happy that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged Abiola and honoured him with the greatest national title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic
(GCFR).
{Daily Trust}