In a powerful appeal to President Bola Tinubu, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has urged for a ₦45 billion payment to the family of the late Moshood Abiola, seeking restitution for the controversial annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Lamido made the call during the public presentation of his autobiography, Being True to Myself, held in Abuja on Tuesday. He argued that such a payment would not only deliver justice but also provide moral closure to one of the most significant setbacks in Nigeria’s democratic history.
Before concluding his remarks, Lamido addressed President Tinubu directly: “I would like to appeal to the President to close the chapter of June 12,” he said.
Drawing attention to General Ibrahim Babangida’s recent memoir, A Journey in Service, Lamido referred to Babangida’s admission that Abiola won the annulled election. The former military ruler stated, “Abiola is owed ₦45 billion,” a claim Babangida asserted he would have honored had he been in the position of president.
According to Lamido, this payment would acknowledge Abiola’s double punishment — being denied both his presidency and the money owed to him. He stressed, “If the President pays this money, the chapter of June 12 will finally be closed.”
The renewed call follows Babangida’s memoir, released earlier this year, in which he publicly confessed that Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had secured 8,128,720 votes, defeating Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC), who garnered 5,848,247 votes. Babangida, who had previously annulled the election, described it as the most difficult decision of his life. He attributed the annulment to fears of military coups and potential instability in the country, even claiming that the decision was executed by forces within his government, and that it was made without his approval.
The release of Babangida’s memoir has reignited debates on the events of 1993, with mixed reactions across Nigeria. While some, including President Tinubu, have lauded Babangida for finally acknowledging Abiola’s victory, critics argue that the memoir serves more to deflect accountability than to offer a genuine apology.
In 2018, the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari posthumously awarded Abiola Nigeria’s highest national honor, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR). The Buhari government also declared June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day, recognizing Abiola’s contribution to the country’s democratic progress.
The ongoing debate over June 12 highlights deep-rooted issues surrounding Nigeria’s democratic journey, with many still seeking justice for Abiola and closure for the country.
