Babangida admits Abiola won 1993 presidential election

Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), has finally admitted that Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

He also expressed regret over the annulment in his newly launched autobiography.

The book titled, “A Journey In Service”unveiled today in Abuja, was reviewed by former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Several leaders, past and present, in the country and beyond are attending the event.

President Bola Tinubu; ex-president Goodluck; former Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo; a former Head of State Yakubu Gowon; Abdulsalami Abubakar among others are present at the event.

Osinbajo sharing key excerpt said Babaginda admitted that: “Upon deeper reflection and a closer examination of all available facts, particularly the detailed election results, which are published as an appendix to this book, there was no doubt that MKO Abiola won the June 12th elections,” Osinbajo quoted Babangida as writing.

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“Upon closer examination of the original collated figures, it was clear that he satisfied the two main constitutional requirements for winning the presidential elections, namely majority votes and geographical spread.

“Having obtained 8,128,720 votes against Tofa’s 5,848,247 votes, and securing the mandatory one-third of the votes cast in 28 states of the federation, including Abuja, I am gratified that the Buhari administration finally recognized him as a former head of state of Nigeria.”

Babangida admitted that the annulment of the election was the most challenging and painful period of his life.

“Looking back now, the June 12th saga was undeniably the most challenging moment of my life, and in certain respects, one of the most painful. And if I had to do it all over again, I would do it differently,” he said.