… He Confirms Abiola’s Victory in June 12, 1993 Election
Former military head of state, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has officially acknowledged that the late Chief Moshood Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election. This revelation is contained in his newly launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, presented in Abuja on Thursday.
Reacting swiftly to the admission by Babangida who annulled the Abiola’s electionIn reaction, the Executive Director of the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center in Africa (PAACA) and an activist on electoral issues, Ezenwa Nwagwu, described the annulment of the election as an “unconscionable criminal act” that plunged Nigeria into an avoidable crisis. He emphasized that Babangida has more confessions to make.
“The annulment led to loss of lives and property, disrupted the futures of many young people, and resulted in the rustication and expulsion of students who participated in the struggle to restore Abiola’s mandate. It is a stain General Babangida will carry to his grave,” Nwagwu stated in an interview with African Health Reports.
He further argued that while President Muhammadu Buhari made efforts to acknowledge the election by declaring June 12 as Democracy Day, such symbolic gestures do little to address the deep losses suffered by the Abiola family and the nation.
“Tokenism cannot compensate for the incalculable losses suffered. Justice demands that those responsible for the annulment be held accountable, and the Abiola family deserves financial restitution,” he said.
Nwagwu concluded by suggesting that Babangida has more confessions to make.
“Who killed Dele Giwa?” he asked pointedly.
