Babangida Admits Abiola Won June 12 Election, Calls Annulment His Toughest Decision

Abuja, Nigeria – Former military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has admitted that the late Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election but described its annulment as the most difficult decision of his life.

Babangida made the revelation in his autobiography, A Journey in Service, which was unveiled in Abuja on Thursday.

Reviewing the book at the event, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo quoted Babangida as stating that Abiola, who contested under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), met all constitutional requirements, including securing the majority of votes and the necessary geographical spread, to be declared president.

“There was no doubt in my mind; MKO Abiola won the election. He satisfied all the requirements,” Babangida was quoted as saying.

The former military ruler noted that while the annulment of the election remained a defining moment in his career, he took solace in the fact that former President Muhammadu Buhari posthumously honored Abiola with the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) title, a recognition reserved for Nigerian presidents.

The June 12 election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest, was abruptly annulled by Babangida’s regime, plunging the country into political turmoil.

The decision led to widespread protests, Abiola’s arrest, and his eventual death in detention in 1998.

Babangida’s admission comes decades after the controversial decision, which remains a sore point in Nigeria’s democratic history.