Former military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida has privately and publicly apologised to the family of the late Chief MKO Abiola for annulling the June 12, 1993, presidential election, according to Lekan Abiola, one of Abiola’s sons.
Lekan shared this information during the MKO Abiola Memorial Symposium held in Lagos, an event organised by the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND). The occasion also served as a pre-launch gathering for a new book titled “MKO Abiola: Symbol of Democracy”.
Speaking to reporters at the event, Lekan said the apology, which first came in private, was later repeated publicly by Babangida, confirming that his father had indeed won the 1993 election. This, he noted, has finally put to rest years of doubts about the election’s outcome.
“We returned from the United States of America, we have met IBB and he has apologised privately to us. When he came out publicly to say that he was sorry for annulling the election and that MKO won the election, he did what he had done privately in public,” he said.
He explained that the public acknowledgment has helped the family gain some peace, particularly in light of ongoing debates about the legitimacy of Abiola’s victory. He added that Babangida has been sending representatives yearly to honor the June 12 occasion, which the family appreciates.
The book’s author, Dr. Layo Adeniyi, also spoke at the event, noting that the 440-page book tells a complete story of Abiola’s life—from his roots and business success to his political journey, beginning with the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) and later with the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
Adeniyi said the book captures the uniqueness of the 1993 election, which he called the most transparent in Nigeria’s history.
Meanwhile, another son of the late politician, Hameen Abiola, has urged the Federal Government to enact a law that permanently recognises June 12 as Democracy Day. He stated that this would help future generations understand the value and sacrifice attached to the historic date.
“We thank former President Muhammadu Buhari for conferring on our father the award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR… However, it is our passionate appeal that the Federal Government can permanently enact a bill that will forever make June 12 Democracy Day,” he said.
