By Gideon Njoku

Former Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB, has said that one of his regrets is the cancelation of the June 12, 1993  Presidential Election.

Chief MKO Abiola, presumably won the election, free, fair and square, but it was inexplicably annulled by the Babangida regime  shortly before the final result was to be announced.

Speaking on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at the presentation of his autobiography, “A Journey In Service”, and a fund raising for the IBB Presidential Library, General Babangida  revealed that annulling the June 12 1993 Election which was adjudged free and fair, was the most challenging decision of his life.  Given another chance, he declared, he would have handled it differently.

He confessed that: “Undoubtedly, credible, free and fair elections were held on June 12, 1993. However, the tragic irony of history remains that the administration that devised a near-perfect electoral system and conducted those near-perfect elections could not complete the process.

“That accident of history is most regrettable. The Nation is entitled to expect my expression of regret. As a leader of the Military Administration, I accept full responsibility for all decisions taken under my watch.

“June 12 happened under my watch; mistakes, oversights and missteps happened in quick succession. But I say in my book, in all matters, we acted in the supreme national interest so that Nigeria could survive.”

He, however, expressed relief that former President Muhammadu Buhari honored Abiola, posthumously,  with the highest National Honour in the land – Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, reserved only for Presidents.

Babangida ruled Nigeria from August 15, 1985 -August 15, 1993.

By Gideon Njoku

President Bola Tinubu has thanked, profusely, former Nigeria’s Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), for the courage he exhibited by setting the records straight on the winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election. For the first time in 32 years, it was admitted by the man who should know that Chief Moshood Abiola won that election.

The winner of the election conducted by the Babangida regime  has been a guarded, but open secret.

The contest was between business mogul and philanthropist, Chief Abiola, popular as MKO, of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and that of the National Republican Convention, NRC, Bashir Tofa.

The election, applauded by Nigerians, and adjudged as Nigeria’s freest and fairest election was, in the eyes of Nigerians, the law and the Constitution, won by Abiola.

Results from most States had been declared and Abiola was in a very clear lead, including defeating Tofa in his native State of Kano. But, just as the Chairman of the Electoral Body, Professor Humphrey Nwosu was set to declare the final result and announce the winner, the Military Regime, headed by Babangida, stopped him, and later canceled the election.

That action threw Nigeria into turmoil; denied IBB a heroic exit after years in office (August 1985-August 1993); forced him to step aside; imposed maximum leader, General Sani Abacha on Nigerians; forced Abiola into a brief exile, and, on return, declared himself President, but was arrested by Abacha; locked up for years, hauled before the Court and faced sundry charges including treasonable felony.

Sadly, on Abacha’s death, and when most people looked forward to Abiola’s release from detention for a kind of arrangement with the Military Regime headed by General Abdulsalmi Abubakar, Abiola died in still controversial circumstances.

Since Abiola’s death, the clamor has been on to declare the result of that election and declare its winner. But no Nigerian President  has had the courage to do that.  The closest Nigerians got was during the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which bestowed Nigeria’s highest National Honour reserved for only Presidents, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, on Abiola, and declared June 12 Democracy Day, marked by public holiday. But all pressures to declare the June 12 result and announce Abiola winner were shunned.

The situation was not helped by the refusal of the man  – IBB – who canceled the election, to set the record straight. Instead, he kept dancing around it.

But on February 20, at the presentation of his memoirs – A Journey In Service”  – Babangida finally set the record straight.

He let it be known that MKO Abiola won the June 12  1993, Presidential Election; that he had the numbers, the spread, and met all constitutional requirements.

Even though most Nigerians knew all along that Abiola won, IBB’s declaration still shocked them even as it put a stamp of authenticity on Abiola’s victory..

Present at the occasion was President Tinubu who, himself, was forced into exile, from where he continued, along with others, to fight for the declaration of Abiola as President.

Responding to IBB’s revelation, Tinubu, who was the Special Guest of Honour, thanked IBB for his courage in acknowledging Abiola’s victory 32 years after Abiola won that election and died fighting for the mandate freely given to him by Nigerians to be restored.

Babangida’s courage, Tinubu said, in admitting Abiola’s victory, will help set the records properly.

Tinubu: “I am glad about the revelations of June 12. My General, we will not forget to pray for you. I listened to you carefully. I am not here to read a speech. I am here to pay homage.

“Let me say thank you for everything, for who you are, and how you have contributed to the history of this great country.”

IBB’s admission of Abiola’s victory, is likely going to trigger anew a clamor for the release of the June, 12, 2023, Presidential Election and, perhaps, to close the chapter, the ultimate declaration of Abiola, as President – post humously.

Sadly the three men who were central to that election are all gone – Abiola, Tofa, Nwosu.

By Gideon Njoku

On a day Naira tumbled in billions and dropped like claps of thunder in support of  the  proposed Presidential Library for former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, a donation of the sum of N500m by  Chief Arthur Eze made no news, almost. It was dwarfed by the donations made by the trio of Aliko Dangote – N8 billion, BUA (Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu) -N5 billion and General Theophilus Danjuma, rtd – N3 billion.

For Arthur Eze, however, what made news was the revelation he made before his donation of N500m.

Looking every who-is-who in Nigeria in the eye, including President Bola Tinubu and other former Heads of State and Presidents – General Yakubu Gowon, General Abdulsalmi Abubakar, President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Goodluck Jonathan – Chief Eze let it be known that it was Babangida, popular as IBB, who made him. Without Babangida, he said, I would be nothing today. “I am what I am today, thanks to God and Babangida.

He disclosed that it was Babangida who introduced him to all the Military Governors when he was President, as well as other top Military Officers within Nigeria and a couple of other West African Countries he travelled to.

He, also, said it was IBB who made most money men in Nigeria today, including Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.

Arthur Eze is a business man of Igbo origin. A native of Anambra State who is into Oil business, Aviation, Real Estate and much more.

IBB used the occasion of the presentation of his much anticipated  Memoir- A Journey In Service – to raise funds for his Presidential Library.

By Gideon Njoku

Donates N8bn (plus), to IBB’s Presidential Library

An appreciative Aliko Dangote, Africa’s Richest Man, and President/Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Industries Ltd, on Thursday, February 20, 2025, praised former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, (IBB) to high heavens.

It was not for nothing.

Dangote, who spoke in Abuja at the presentation of IBB’s memoirs, A Journey In Service during which funds were raised for the building of IBB Presidential Library, said there would be no viable private sector in Nigeria today without General Ibrahim Babangida. Dangote let it be known that Babangida is the architect of Nigeria’s private sector. He praised IBB for liberating the private sector in Nigeria during his Government as Nigeria’s Military President.

He said it was Babangida’s transformative policies that encouraged Nigerian investors to play prominent roles in the economy. For instance, Dangote noted, Babangida abolished the era of import licences which helped stimulate domestic industries. Because of Babangida’s initiatives, Dangote said, Nigeria has more private-sector involvement in Africa than any other country. And for that, Dangote revealed, 85% of Nigeria’s GDP comes from the private sector while the Government contributes only 15%

Dangote directly, addressing IBB said:

“Your Excellency, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for all you have done for Nigeria. Many may not realise that you were the architect of the private sector in Nigeria. Anyone in the private sector who has achieved prominence today owes it to you, as you provided us with the necessary licences.

“In the past, we used to struggle to obtain licences through intermediaries, including Indians.

“Your Excellency, I could continue to list all the reforms you introduced that liberated the private sector, which is why Nigeria has more private sector involvement than any other country in Africa. It is only in Nigeria where government’s contribution to GDP is a mere 15%, with the remainder being driven by the private sector.

“I want to thank you once again, and I am confident that future leaders will continue to follow your example, working closely with the private sector.”

On  the IBB Presidential Library project, Dangote broke the ceiling.  He  donated an eye-popping sum of N8 billion, and a firm promise to donate more until the project is completed.

His words: “Your Excellency, based on what I have observed, I believe this project will require, at least,  four years to complete. I would like to contribute N2 billion each year for the next four years, amounting to N8 billion in total. Should the project extend beyond four years, I will continue to contribute N2 billion annually.”

The Chief Launcher and Founder of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, donated N5 billion, while his co-Chief Launcher and Founder of the TY Danjuma Foundation, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, donated N3 billion.

The occasion was attended by every who-is-who in Nigeria, almost, including President Bola Tinubu, who was the Chief Host, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was the Chairman, forner Heads of State Generals Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar, former President Goodluck Jonathan and many more.

Former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo was the Book Reviewer.