A former secretary to the government of the federation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, on Wednesday, June 12, 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) during the polls described as Nigeria’s freest election.
According to Kingibe, Obasanjo attempted to convene a meeting of statesmen to address the aftermath of the June 12 crisis, adding that 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.
The Borno-born politician said the celebration of June 12 as a Democracy Day should not be an occasion for recriminations or for talking on who did anything.
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, however did not give details of the roles Obasanjo played to annul the presidential poll.
He however justified why President Buhari opted to honour Abiola.
His words: “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.
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.”
Meanwhile, June 12 celebration on Wednesday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, turned sour as officials of the Department of State Security arrested Dr. Kunle Hamzat and four others during a peaceful rally organised by members of the Yoruba Summit Group (an amalgamation of all Yoruba socio-cultural and self determination groups).
The peaceful demonstration organised by all socio-cultural groups with the theme: The future and Status of Yoruba in Nigerian Federation, was brought to an abrupt end due to the failure of the organizing committee to secure a letter of permit
from the appropriate government quarters.
