Many Nigerians, including the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, and pro-democracy groups have demanded that Moshood Abiola (MKO) should be listed among legitimate presidents of Nigeria.
They said it was imperative that justice must be served considering the open admission by former military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida that Moshood Abiola won the 1993 election.
Babangida had on Thursday, during the launch of his autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service,’ admitted that Moshood Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
But since the open confession, many Nigerians have demanded that Abiola be accorded full recognition as Nigeria’s legitimately-elected president and that his family be honored appropriately.
They said the annulment of the 1993 election set the country back and was perhaps, responsible for the present position of the country.
Speaking to BusinessDay, Ladipo Johnson, national publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), lamented that the country and its people suffered untold hardship and faced stagnation as a result of the decision to cancel the result of the 19993 election by IBB.
He noted that the Abiola’s family must be accorded the necessary respect and honour after his open admission.
“Nigeria must now take the step to honour Abiola, though late now, but his family and children. The annulment was a big setback for Nigeria, perhaps, it put us where we are now,” he said.
Also, the Afenifere said that Abiola must be posthumously accorded all privileges and recognitions befitting a legitimately-elected President.
The group stated this in a statement by its Organising Secretary, Kole Omololu, noting that IBB’s public admission of Abiola’s victory, did not absolve him and his associates of the irreversible damage the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election had caused.
Read also: Irreversible colossal damage as Babangida owns up on Abiola’s victory
The statement said the consequences of the annulment of the election by the IBB administration led to the assassination of Kudirat Abiola, Alfred Rewane, and a number of others.
The statement read: “His belated acknowledgement that the election was indisputably free, fair, and credible merely reaffirms what Nigerians have known for over three decades that Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola was the rightful winner of that historic election.
“However, this long-overdue confession cannot exonerate Babangida and his associates from the monumental betrayal inflicted upon the nation.
“It does not restore the lives lost, nor does it atone for the enduring scars of oppression, bloodshed, and the suppression of democracy. The consequences of that reckless annulment remain irreversible.
“The Yoruba nation, and indeed all Nigerians, bore the brunt of Babangida’s self-serving power grab. His decision plunged the country into chaos and ushered in an era of state-sponsored terror against democracy activists, pro-democracy media, and innocent citizens who dared to demand justice.”
It said, “Many distinguished Yoruba sons and daughters suffered grave injustices exiled, imprisoned, or tragically eliminated—under the despotic military regimes of Babangida and Abacha, which were determined to silence the will of the people.”
Former secretary to the government of the Federation, Olu Falae, and National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain, Ayo Opadokun, also dismissed IBB’s statement, insisting that Nigerians had long known that Abiola won the election.
“The fact that he admitted Abiola won does not bring any new revelation. We had the documents immediately after the election; we knew that Abiola won,” Opadokun said.
Also speaking, lawyer Sunday Uffot said IBB’s admission does not change anything because so much damage had been done, while saying that the country should move on.
“It is good he had admitted but does it change anything now? Those ruling should rule well, what Nigeria need now is good governance. For me since he has admitted let the honour Abiola,” the lawyer said.
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