Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu threw his weight behind Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s decision to annul the June 12, 1993, election won by the late Moshood Abiola.
In an exclusive interview with AriseNews on Sunday morning, Lamido stated that he feels highly entertained by Tinubu’s rhetoric and the way he’s dramatising his role in Nigeria’s democracy, hence his decision to make the bold statement about the President’s involvement in the June 12 annulment.
He stated that President Tinubu was in the Senate as the secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), after which he became more prominent and noticeable in Nigeria’s politics following the takeover of the government by the late Gen. Sani Abacha.
”I feel highly entertained by Tinubu’s rhetoric, the way he’s dramatising his role in Nigeria’s democracy. Tinubu became relevant and noticeable after Abacha took over the government; before then, he was in the senate while he was the secretary of the party. He was part of those who supported IBB’s annulment of the June 12 election.
”His mother, Hajia Mogaji, was organising Lagos market women to come to Abuja to pledge support for Babangida. Tinubu was actively hand-in-glove with Babangida. NADECO was postulated to fight Abacha, not for June 12,” Lamido revealed.
Last month, Lamido also charged President Tinubu to be courageous enough and pay the alleged N45 billion owed to the family of Chief MKO Abiola by the federal government. He believed that paying the 45 billion debt to the family would offer symbolic closure to the June 12 struggle and acknowledge Abiola’s unjust treatment.
“When General Murtala Muhammed died, Abiola came in with a claim that he was owed, I think, about N45bn for contracts executed by International Telephone and Telecommunication for the Ministry of Communications. The military high command at that time said no. He went around the emirs in the North to lobby, and the emirs asked that they, the military, please pay the money.
“They said they cancelled the June 12 elections because if they made him president, he would take his money and the country would become bankrupt. Those who were close to Abacha should know this because Abacha was then one of the big shots; they were all aware.
”I want to appeal to President Tinubu to finally close the chapter on June 12. In his book, General Ibrahim Babangida acknowledged that Abiola won the election. When I visited him, he also confirmed that Abiola is owed N45 billion. He was doubly punished: first, denied the presidency, second, denied what is owed to him,” Lamido said.
Credit: Culled from this street
