Abacha’s family rejects Babangida’s claim on June 12 election annulment

The family of late Sani Abacha has rejected claims made by Ibrahim Babangida, the former military head of state, regarding the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

In his memoir, ‘A Journey in Service’, Babangida claimed Abacha, his then-chief of defence staff, led the forces behind the decision.

But in a statement issued on Sunday by Mohammed Abacha, the late general’s son, the family described Babangida’s claims as a “deliberate distortion of historical facts”.

The family accused Babangida of attempting to rewrite history, urging Nigerians to be wary of “revisionist narratives” that shift responsibility away from those truly accountable.

“Our attention has been drawn to recent claims made by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, in his newly launched book, ‘A Journey in Service’, where he alleged that the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election was the responsibility of the late General Sani Abacha,” the statement reads.

“These claims have sparked widespread controversy and necessitate a clear response from the immediate family of General Sani Abacha and the entire Abacha clan in the interest of historical accuracy and justice.

“It is important to state unequivocally that General Sani Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time the June 12 election was annulled.

“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”.

The family noted that Abacha remained loyal to Babangida throughout his lifetime, even protecting him when his life was under threat.

“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,” the statement added.