Former Military Head of States, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has finally confessed that the late business mogul, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola is the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Babangida made the confession at the launching of his autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service’, in Abuja on Thursday.
He acknowledged the election as Nigeria’s freest and fairest election in history.
According to immediate past Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who reviewed the book, said the book answers the question whether Abiola actually won the June 12 election.
“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,” Osinbajo quoting from the book, ‘A Journey in Service’.
The former Vice President also quoted Babangida as saying that if given another chance, he would have handled the events surrounding the election differently.
Abiola, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), contested against Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC). As results were being announced, the military regime ordered the then National Electoral Commission (NEC), led by the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, to halt the process.
In his book, Babangida expressed satisfaction that former President Muhammadu Buhari later recognised Abiola and posthumously conferred on him the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), Nigeria’s highest national honour.
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