Former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, has revealed that the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election was carried out without his approval. He made the revelation in his newly released autobiography, A Journey in Service, which was presented in Abuja on Thursday.
The June 12 election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history, was won by Chief MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party. However, the military government controversially annulled the results, plunging the country into political turmoil.
Babangida disclosed that he was in Katsina when the announcement of the annulment was made. According to him, the move was orchestrated by a faction within the military, led by then Chief of Defence Staff, General Sani Abacha, who later seized power.
‘I Was Alarmed and Horrified’
Babangida recounted how he had instructed the chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Professor Humphrey Nwosu, to proceed with the election despite pressures to halt it.
“Go ahead with the elections. Go to your office, hold a world press conference, and tell everyone the elections will be held tomorrow as planned,” he recalled telling Nwosu.
However, four days later, Nwosu unexpectedly halted the announcement of results. Babangida claimed this was done without his knowledge.
“And then, on June 16, without my knowledge or prior approval, NEC Chairman, Professor Nwosu, announced the suspension of the June 12 election results ‘until further notice’,” he stated.
The situation escalated when a court order from Justice Saleh’s court in Abuja further blocked the release of results. Babangida was out of Abuja when the final annulment was announced.
“On June 23, 1993, I was in Katsina to condole with the Yar’Adua family over the passing of their patriarch. As I got ready to leave, I received a report that the June 12 elections had been annulled,” he said.
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Annulment Was Discussed, But Not This Way—Babangida
The former military leader admitted that annulment had been discussed as one of several possible options due to the political crisis following the election. However, he claimed it was never meant to be executed in the manner it happened.
“Yes, during the stalemate that followed the termination of the results announcement, the possibility of annulment that could lead to fresh elections was loosely broached in passing. But annulment was only a component of a series of other options,” he explained.
Babangida was shocked when a poorly worded statement was issued to annul the election, reportedly read out by Admiral Augustus Aikhomu’s press secretary, Nduka Irabor.
“Equally weird was the shabby way the statement was couched and made. It bore neither the presidential seal nor the official letterhead of the government,” he recalled.
‘Abacha’s Forces Outflanked Me’
Babangida described how Abacha had become too powerful within the military, making it nearly impossible to stop him.
“These nefarious ‘inside’ forces opposed to the elections have outflanked me!” he said, acknowledging that Abacha led the faction responsible for the annulment.
After Babangida stepped down in August 1993, Abacha consolidated power, eventually overthrowing the Interim National Government led by Chief Ernest Shonekan in November 1993. He later detained Abiola when the election winner declared himself president.
Babangida admitted he had no way of reversing the situation.
“There and then, I knew I was caught between ‘a devil and the deep blue sea’! From then on, the June 12 elections took on a painful twist for which, as I will show later, I regrettably take responsibility,” he concluded.
Babangida’s revelation sheds new light on one of the most controversial moments in Nigeria’s history, raising fresh questions about the role of the military in the country’s political landscape.