A prominent chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) Ayo Opadokun, has strongly condemned former military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida’s recent admission of annulling the June 12, 1993 election, calling it pretentious, dubious, and devoid of any genuine remorse. Opadokun’s remarks followed Babangida’s release of his 420-page autobiography Journey in Service, where he revisited the controversial decision to annul the election that is widely believed to have been won by business tycoon MKO Abiola.
Opadokun argued that Babangida’s admission added nothing new to the historical narrative, reiterating well-known facts such as the public display of election results from polling units to state collation centers, which confirmed Abiola’s victory. He referenced Babangida’s former political adviser, Omo Omoruyi, who had previously acknowledged that Abiola was the rightful winner.
According to Opadokun, Babangida’s so-called apology was a mere attempt at revisionism, aimed at obfuscating the past and evading responsibility. “It is not only pretentious but also very dubious and without remorse,” Opadokun stated. He expressed his disappointment that Babangida showed no contrition for the deadly aftermath of the annulment, which led to the deaths of many Nigerians, including Abiola and his wife, and sparked widespread violence.
Opadokun further criticized Babangida for “dancing on the graves of innocent martyrs,” accusing the former leader of using the tragedy for personal and political gain. He described how, during the aftermath of the June 12 saga, young Nigerians were killed by security forces, and even the families of victims were denied proper mourning.
The NADECO leader called for Babangida to be held accountable for his actions, particularly for the treasonous annulment that led to the loss of many lives. He cited an interview with Humphrey Nwosu, the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, who had confirmed that the election results were completed and that Abiola had won. Opadokun emphasized that nothing in Babangida’s admission had changed the historical record.
Expressing his sorrow over the former dictator’s lack of repentance, Opadokun stated that Babangida would go to his grave “in error,” with many lives lost due to his actions. He also pointed out that the prolonged military rule under leaders like Babangida had stunted Nigeria’s national growth and development.
When questioned about the potential for forgiveness, Opadokun dismissed the idea, stating that the damage inflicted by the military, particularly the coup on January 15, 1966, had severely hindered the country’s progress. “The military’s forceful takeover of power arrested our national growth and development,” he lamented, emphasizing that the pain caused by Babangida’s actions could never be fully healed by mere words.
