Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, a former Secretary to the Government
of the Federation, yesterday said ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was one
of the architects of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential
election, which was won by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale
Abiola.
Kingibe was Abiola’s running mate on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP).
He said although Obasanjo attempted to convene a meeting of
statesmen to address the aftermath of the June 12 crisis, President
Muhammadu Buhari only attended the inaugural meeting and stopped because
of the direction of the session.
Kingibe said Buhari’s position was very clear over the years that the annulment was unjustified.
He, however, parried questions on whether or not he betrayed the late Abiola, who died in his bid to reclaim his mandate.
He said the celebration of June 12 as a Democracy Day should not be
an occasion for recriminations or for talking on who betrayed who and
who abandoned what.
He said he had never spoken over the years because he was bemused and saddened by the annulment.
Kingibe broke his silence for the first time on the annulment of
the election while appearing on a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)
programme.
He did not give details of the roles Obasanjo played to annul the presidential poll.
He however justified why Buhari opted to honour Abiola.
Kingibe said: “In the aftermath of the annulment, one of the
architects of the annulment, former President Olusegun Obasanjo tried to
get some elder statesmen (former presidents and so on); I think at the
African Leadership Forum to see how the aftermath of the annulment could
be addressed or to see how the problems arising from the annulment
could be addressed.
“And I think President Muhammadu Buhari did attend the meeting
once, the inaugural meeting. I understood that when he (Buhari) saw the
direction of the meeting, he decided not to attend again.
“Every time the issue of the annulment came up over the years,
his position was very clear; it was very firm that the election was
free, fair and there was a clear winner. And that the annulment was
unjustified.
“So, having had the opportunity, perhaps, to right the wrong, I
won’t be surprised he did so because it is in his character to try and
do justice, however, belated and under whatever the circumstances.”
Asked if he was surprised by the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day, Kingibe said: “In a way, yes. I was surprised more by the timing of it than that it happened.
“I was actually on lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia when the
announcement was made. I was not surprised that it was made because I
knew President Buhari felt strongly about June 12.”
He paid glowing tributes to Abiola for being the arrowhead of the campaign for the actualisation of the June 12, 1993 mandate.
He added: “You know, June 12 was the creation of all Nigerians. All Nigerians were the architects of June 12.
“Like all collective endeavours, there is always a leader, and
one can never diminish the role of MKO Abiola in the final stages of
this political journey to democracy in giving the leadership; in being
the arrowhead and the symbol of that struggle for democracy.”
Kingibe was, however, non-committal on whether or not he betrayed Abiola.
He said: “I think we are now going to celebrate the first of
the June 12 being a Democracy Day. It is an opportunity to recall all
the positive takeaways of the June 12 experience, what it represented
and how we can learn lessons for the future.
“I don’t think it as an occasion for recriminations, who
betrayed who, abandoned what. The whole process leading to June 12 was a
unique experience in Nigerian political journey towards democracy.
“The facts of June 12, the elections that took place on that
day, were unique. We have held many elections but the elections of June
12 were unique.
“The annulment of the elections was unique in the life of all
Nigerians and being unique and novel, I think everybody reacted
accordingly to their understanding of what reaction was required.
“I do not think that we have the time to go through who played
what role, who did what on this occasion. All I said, let us celebrate
the event of June 12.”
Kingibe said he did his best to ensure that the annulment did not stand.
His words: “Suffice it to say that there are many ways of
pursuing a goal. To me, the immediate goal was to make sure that the
annulment did not stand. That I had a very strong opinion about. Don’t
forget, from the annulment and the enthronement of Interim National
Government (ING), there were 82 to 84 days or so.
“During those days, we all worked together to make sure the ING
did not stand. And it did not stand. Thereafter, we all had our
reflections collectively and individually as to the way forward, and we
moved on
Responding to a question on why he has never spoken, he said: “Indeed, I never.
“This is the first time that I am addressing the issue.
Sometimes, I am bemused; I am saddened, perhaps sometimes I am not
surprised about the comments that people were making about June 12; the
claims on June 12, those who stood on June 12 and so on.
“I know every detail of what happened and there is no way that
one can tell the truth about June 12 without perhaps diminishing some
people’s own; without taking away from the significance and the
solemnity of that day.
“I have actually recorded my recollections of those days and
those events. I hope that I will have the opportunity to air my
recording one day. It is in video recording, not audio recording.”
There was no comment yesterday from Obasanjo on Kingibe’s claim.
Speaking with The Nation through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo simply said: “No comment.”
“I have no comment.”
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Source: The Nation
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