June 12 annulment: Abacha family replies Babangida

The family of the late military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has strongly criticized former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), accusing him of distorting historical facts regarding the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

In a scathing statement issued on Sunday, the Abacha family described Babangida’s claims in his newly released memoir, A Journey in Service, as false and an attempt to rewrite history.

The memoir, published recently, sought to absolve Babangida of responsibility for the widely condemned annulment of the election, which was won by business mogul, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.

Babangida, who was Nigeria’s military president at the time, stated in his book that the decision to cancel the election was not his, but rather the doing of military officers led by his then-Chief of Defence Staff, General Sani Abacha.

He further described the annulment as an “accident of history” and expressed regret that it happened.

However, the Abacha family has rejected Babangida’s account, accusing him of attempting to shift the blame onto the late General Abacha, who was not the Head of State at the time and had no authority to annul the election.

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In a statement signed by Mohammed Abacha, the eldest son of the late military ruler, the family said:

“The decision to annul the election was made under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, who, as the then Head of State, held absolute executive powers and was solely responsible for the actions of his government.

Any attempt to shift this blame onto General Sani Abacha, who was a very senior military officer within the regime, is a deliberate distortion of historical facts. For years, various actors have attempted to rewrite the history of that critical period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.”

The Abacha family further accused Babangida of taking advantage of their father’s absence to manipulate public perception.

“We urge Nigerians to be wary of revisionist narratives that seek to manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons. The memory of our late father and leader, General Sani Abacha, must not be tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible,” the statement added.

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The family also criticized Babangida’s memoir for failing to present an honest and objective account of the events surrounding the controversial election annulment.

“We regret that A Journey in Service missed the opportunity and failed to make history as a truthful and objective account of past events. As one public commentator aptly put it, honesty, sincerity, and integrity are virtues not commonly associated with the author.”

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The annulment of the June 12 election remains one of the most contentious events in Nigeria’s history. Widely regarded as the freest and fairest election ever conducted in the country, the election was expected to usher in democratic rule after years of military dictatorship.

However, Babangida’s government nullified the results, citing national security concerns, a move that led to widespread protests and political instability.

Following the annulment, Babangida eventually stepped down on August 26, 1993, handing over to an interim government led by Chief Ernest Shonekan.

However, that administration was short-lived, as General Sani Abacha seized power in a coup on November 17, 1993, and ruled the country until his death in 1998.

While Babangida has continued to face criticism for his role in the annulment, his recent attempt to shift the responsibility onto Abacha has reignited debate over the true circumstances surrounding the controversial decision.