Military annuls Abiola's June 12 1993 victory over N45bn debt - Lamido

 

Former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has accused the military regime of punishing the winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential poll, Late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola in two ways.

According to the former national secretary of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), the late Business Mugul was denied of both the Presidency with annulment of his victory and his N45 billion debt owed him by the military regime of late Muritala Muhammad.

Lamido, who made the revelation while speaking during the public presentation of his Autobiography in Abuja, said such injustice must be addressed in order to end the agelong June 12 dispute.

The former governor explained that the ugly development was the reason the military annulled the outcome of the controversial June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late MKO Abiola.

He added that the military refused to pay Abiola the debt after Gen. Mohammed’s died and when Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election, they decided to annul it for fear that if sworn in as President, Abiola would recover the N45bn debt, a situation which might bankrupt the country at the time.

“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 round the Emirs in the North to lobby and the Emirs asked that they (military) should please pay the money.

“They (military) 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.

“In his book, General Ibrahim Babangida acknowledged that Abiola won the election. When I visited him, he also confirmed that Abiola is owed N45bn. He was doubly punished: first, denied the presidency; second, denied what is owed to him.”

Lamido, however, called on President Bola Tinubu to pay Abiola’s family the alleged N45bn debt in order to bring closure to the June 12 saga.