Says Babangida solely responsible for annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election
The family of late military head of State, General Sani Abach, has chided former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, over what they described as a deliberate distortion of historical facts in his attempt to shift the blame for the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election to their late father.
The family, in a statement e-signed by Mohammed Abacha, said it was important to unequivocally state that General Sani Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time the June 12 election was annulled.
While debunking the content of Babangida’s newly launched book, “A Journey in Service”, where he made the claim of the late Abacha being responsible for the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the family insisted that the decision was made under the administration of General Babangida.
They warned that the memory of their late father and leader, General Abacha, must not be tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible.
“Our attention has been drawn to recent claims made by former Head of State, General Babangida, in his newly launched book, “A Journey in Service” (wherein) he alleged that the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election was the responsibility of the late General Abacha.
“These claims have sparked widespread controversy and necessitated a clear response from General Abacha’s immediate family and entire clan in the interest of historical accuracy and justice.
“It is important to state unequivocally that General Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time the June 12 election was annulled. The decision to annul the election was made under the administration of General Babangida, who, as the then Head of State, held absolute executive powers and was solely responsible for the actions of his government.
“Any attempt to shift this blame onto General Sani Abacha, who was a very senior military officer within the regime, is a deliberate distortion of historical facts,” the statement read.
“For years, various actors have attempted to rewrite the history of that critical period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution. However, the facts remain unchanged,” the Abacha family added.
“We urge Nigerians to be wary of revisionist narratives that seek to manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons. The memory of our late father and leader, General Abacha, must not be tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible.
“Furthermore, we wish to emphasise that despite this unfortunate attempt to shift blame, General Abacha remained a true and loyal friend to General Babangida up to the time of his death.
“He was a man of unwavering commitment to his comrades. We also find it necessary to state that at the time General Babangida’s life was under threat, it was General Abacha who came to his rescue, ensuring his safety.
“We take this opportunity to express our heartfelt appreciation to the many Nigerians who have risen in defense of General Abacha in an effort to set the record straight.
“Your unwavering commitment to truth and historical accuracy is deeply appreciated, and we acknowledge the outpouring of support from those who refuse to allow history to be distorted.”
The family further stated: “As we reflect on Nigeria’s history, we acknowledge General Abacha’s time in leadership and the role he played in the nation’s development. His contributions, like those of past leaders, remain part of our country’s history. We believe that history is best judged with fairness and objectivity.
“We regret that ‘A Journey in Service’ missed the opportunity and failed to make history as a truthful and objective account of past events. As one public commentator aptly put it, honesty, sincerity, and integrity are virtues not commonly associated with the author.”
