June 12: IBB Guilty as Charged

 

This piece is triggered by what transpired at Transcorp Hilton Abuja on Thursday 20th 2025 where respectable  Nigerian political and Economic leaders gathered to celebrate the book launch of former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, titled  a Journey in service.

The  event which can only be described as  long-overdue confession, saw  (IBB)  finally admitted that Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election. However, his justification for the annulment of what is widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest election has been met with public outrage and condemnation.

The former military President, in his  JOURNEY IN SERVICE  attempted to rationalize his administration’s decision by claiming that the annulment was made to “save Abiola’s life.” This excuse, decades after one of the greatest political betrayals in Nigerian history, has been dismissed by political analysts, historians, and the general public as a blatant distortion of facts. To many, General Babangida's  belated justification only reopened the wounds inflicted on Nigeria’s democracy and the hope of a new political order that was brutally aborted by the military junta.Late Pa Clark would have been brutally Frank about the Odysseys of IBB if he was alife to comment on this daylight rape of democracy.

A Fraudulent Justification for a Democratic Betrayal

The June 12 election, contested between Chief MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC), was a historic moment for Nigeria. Conducted under the watch of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) led by Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, it was widely acknowledged as the most transparent and peaceful election in Nigeria’s history. Abiola’s landslide victory reflected the collective will of Nigerians to break free from the cycle of military rule.

Yet, before the final results could be officially announced, Babangida’s regime unilaterally annulled the election on June 23, 1993, citing “irregularities” that were never substantiated. The decision plunged Nigeria into political turmoil, leading to mass protests, international condemnation, and the eventual installation of an interim government led by Chief Ernest Shonekan, which was soon overthrown by General Sani Abacha.

IBB and the Burden of Guilt

Babangida’s attempt to paint the annulment as an act of benevolence rather than the political coup it was has been widely rejected. Many argue that his admission is a desperate attempt to rewrite history and cleanse his legacy from the stain of democratic subversion. The reality remains that IBB and his allies denied Nigeria a golden opportunity to transition into a stable democracy, an act that set the country backward by decades.

My kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu , Who was fair enough to tell IBB the simple truth that he failed to write his name with a golden pen in history for annulling the June 12, 1993 general election.

Furthermore, the claim that the annulment was meant to save Abiola’s life has been dismissed as both hypocritical and disingenuous. If indeed Babangida was concerned about Abiola’s safety, why did his Government not protect him after the annulment? Instead, Abiola was incarcerated under General Sani Abacha’s regime in 1994 and died under suspicious circumstances in 1998 while still in detention.

Despite his grievous role in truncating Nigeria’s democratic process, Babangida continues to enjoy the privileges of a former head of state. More shocking is the recent  billionaires and political elites contribution of a staggering ₦16 billion towards the construction of the IBB Presidential Library in Minna, Niger State. This move has been met with outrage, with many Nigerians questioning why such a amount of money should be given to a man who orchestrated one of the darkest moments in the nation’s history. I am  still lost in thought  why IBB is so extravagantly celebrated.

The lavish funding of Babangida’s legacy, while many Nigerians suffer from the economic consequences of the instability his actions helped to create, is a stark reminder of the impunity that pervades Nigeria’s political landscape. Critics argue that instead of being honored, Babangida should be facing the judgment of history and public accountability for his role in derailing Nigeria’s democracy.

Despite the annulment, the spirit of June 12 has refused to die. In 2018, former President Muhammadu Buhari officially recognized June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day, acknowledging Abiola as the rightful winner of the 1993 election. This move, although symbolic, was a significant victory for democracy advocates who fought tirelessly to preserve the legacy of that historic election.

However, true justice remains elusive. The masterminds of the annulment, including Babangida the arrow head, have never faced any legal or political consequences for their actions. While the Nigerian public has charged him in the court of opinion, history will continue to judge him for his role in subverting the democratic will of the people.

Conclusion: The Verdict of the People

Babangida’s recent confession does not absolve him of his responsibility in truncating Nigeria’s democratic progress. The Nigerian people who are the judge of the public Opinion Court 

 have spoken , Babangida is  guilty as charged. No amount of revisionism or attempts to whitewash history will erase the betrayal of June 12, 1993.

As the country continues to navigate its democratic journey, it is imperative that the lessons of that election are not forgotten. The best way to honor MKO Abiola and the ideals he stood for is to ensure that Nigeria’s democracy is never again subverted by those who wield power for selfish gains.

Justice may have been delayed, but history remains the ultimate judge. And in the court of public opinion, Babangida’s legacy is forever stained by the annulment of June 12.

IBB may have gotten his way to the billions  he needed for his Library project, but all  glory to God Almighty Who kept us alife to have our say.

 Comrade  Wilson Macaulay: A Warri based journalist