Babangida finally admits Abiola won June 12 presidential election, says he regrets outcome

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the retired army general and former military president, has acknowledged that MKO Abiola won the presidential election held on June 12, 1993.

IBB’s revelation came at the launch of his autobiography, ‘A Journey In Service’, in Abuja on Thursday.

Babangida annulled the election, sparking widespread protests and unrest in the country.

In the 420-page book, Babangida devoted a page to the transition from military rule to democracy and the June 12 saga.

During the review of the autobiography, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo read a section that shed light on the events surrounding the June 12 presidential election and its annulment.

He quoted Babangida as saying that although he had previously gone on record questioning Abiola’s electoral victory, deeper reflection has led him to concede that Abiola was indeed the rightful winner of the election.

“Although I’m on record to have admitted after the election that Abiola may have not won the election, upon deeper reflections, and a close examination of all available facts, particularly, the detailed election results which I published as an appendix to this book,” a section of the book reads.

“There was no doubt that MKO Abiola won the June 12 election. Upon closer examination of the original collated figures from the 110 polling booths in the country, it was clear that he satisfied the two main constitutional requirements for winning the presidential election; mainly the majority votes and the geographical spread, having obtained 8,128,720 votes against Tofa’s 5,84,8247 votes and securing the mandatory one third of the vote cast in 28 states of the federation, including Abuja.”

Babangida said he was pleased when “the Buhari administration finally recognised Abiola as a former head of state of Nigeria”.

“Looking back now, the June 12 saga was undoubtedly the most challenging moment of my life and in certain respects, one of the most painful. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it differently,” he said.

While delivering his speech at the event, Babangida described the annulment of the election as an “accident of history” that is “most regrettable”.

“The nation is expected to expect my impression of regret,” he added.

“As the leader of the military administration, I accept full responsibility for all decisions taken under my watch and June 12 happened my watch. Oversights and mistakes happened in quick succession.”