…say ex-military president lied, planned to sit tight in office
Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere and some chieftains of the National Democratic Coalition, on Friday, descended on former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), over his justification of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election by his regime.
Afenifere and NADECO chieftains accused Babangida of attempt to falsify history and murder the truth.
Babangida, who spoke on Arise TV on Friday as part of the preparations for his 80th birthday, had said that the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the defunct Social Democratic Party candidate, the late Chief Moshood Abiola, was to prevent an impending military coup and to save Nigeria.
But, Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, in his reaction, accused the former military leader of an attempt to sit tight, adding that IBB had a predetermined agenda.
Adebanjo expressed regrets that such posturing was typical of ambitious Northern military rulers, who were averse to democratic transition and succession.
The Afenifere leader said the cancellation of June 12 election results resulted in disunity and the suspicion that a particular section of the country had a plan to dominate others.
Adebanjo noted that those behind the transition programme that resulted in the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election had gone down in history as enemies of the Nigerian people.
According to Adebanjo, ”Babangida never wanted to go. He was changing the goal post during the game. These people from the North only believe in a Nigeria where they will continue to dominate other ethnic groups.
“They only want unity according to their terms. They want to dictate the conditions for unity. We should sit down and agree. Otherwise, the deceit will continue.”
Speaking in similar vein, another chieftain of the Afenifere, Senator Olabiyi Durojaye, expressed regrets that the results of the historic June 12 elections were cancelled after Nigeria conducted a free and fair poll.
The former lawmaker said the June 12 annulment greatly annoyed Nigerians who were expecting a new dawn in the post-military dispensation.
Durojaye, who was one of those detained by the military during the struggle for the validation of the annulled poll results, said if Babangida had any information about an imminent coup, there was nothing to prove that Babangida shared such information with his colleagues in the Armed Forces Ruling Council and other critical stakeholders about an impending coup over June 12 election results.
The former lawmaker, who also noted that many Nigerians have yet to recover fully from the shock of the June 12 annulment, said, “History will take care of the actors.”
Similarly, Third Republic House of Representatives Chief Whip and NADECO chieftain, Olawale Oshun, lambasted Babangida for allegedly twisting the truth about his annulment of the June 12 election results.
He added that nobody would believe in Babangida’s unfounded rationalisation and deceit.
Oshun, who is also the leader of Afenifere Renewal Group, said Babangida was better left to face God’s judgement, adding that his regime’s decision to annul the election resulted in the killing of many young people along Ikorodu Road, Lagos when soldiers deployed by his successor, General Sani Abacha, opened fire on protesters.
Oshun noted that IBB’s account concerning events that led to the June 12 annulment contradicted those of his colleagues in the AFRC, who were also shocked by the decision.
The NADECO chieftain argued that Babangida actually wanted to sit tight in office, adding that the former military President polarised the country in his desperation to hold on to power.
Oshun said, “He did not want to go. I was in the House of Representatives at that time. I knew the efforts he made to compromise the House to remain in office. The House was polarised.
“Of course, there were some ambitious men around him; people like Mark, who were not pleased with an Abiola presidency. But, officers like Col. Umar stood their ground on the election.”
Oshun, who stated that IBB lied on the Arise Television programme, added, “He should tell that to the marines. Nigerians voted. He should have allowed it to stand. Abiola won in the barracks. He said soldiers wanted to stage a coup. Are the soldiers more than millions of Nigerians who voted? IBB ruined our country. ”