Babangida on nullification of Abiola’s election of 1993: “The beginning of a journey, the end of which nobody knows”

ON the 20th day of February 2025, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida unveiled his autobiography titled “A Journey in Service”.   One of the major highlights of the autobiography is the Gen. Babangida’s account of the events that led to the annulment of the Presidential election held on June 12, 1993.  Nearly 32 years after the annulment of the June 12 election, Gen. Babangida expressed his deep regrets over the annulment of what he described as the “widely adjudged freest, fairest and most credible poll in the history of the country”. He stated that it was unfortunate that the administration that devised a near perfect electoral system and conducted those near perfect elections could not complete the process.

The news of the annulment of the June 12 poll took Nigeria by a storm. On June 23 1993, the very day the annulment of the June 12 poll was first announced over the radio, I was representing Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola in a suit to decide whether Chief Abiola was properly elected or not. The suit was instituted by Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa at the Court of Appeal, Kaduna. My brief was clear and I was certain that I would win the case for my client. I arrived in the  court very early with over 20 lawyers who were to appear with me.

When Chief Philip Umeadi, SAN, the lawyer representing the Federal Government and Gen. Babangida arrived in the court, he greeted me and then asked me a question:“Afe, why are you here with all these books and many lawyers?”My answer was brief: “The Abiola case comes up today and we are prepared to satisfy the court that Abiola is duly elected.” In response, Chief Umeadi asked whether I had listened to the latest radio announcement. I answered No. He went ahead and said, “the election held on 12th June, 1993, had been annulled”. I replied him and told him that he should be prepared to tell the court what he told me.

When the court sat and we announced our appearances, later Chief Umeadi told the court  that he has an important information to deliver to the court. The court asked him to go ahead. Chief Umeadi said, “My Lords, there is no case gain before Your Lordships; the election has been annulled”.

The court called on me to reply to Umeadi’s position. I submitted that the court is not bound by the oral statement of Umeadi that election was annulled. It expected him to tender a gazette which contains the annulment of the election by the government. I took my seat. The court called on Umeadi to reply to my submission. Chief Umeadi then looked up and requested the court to adjourn the matter for a few hours for him to produce the gazette which contains the annulment.

The court granted his request and stood the case down for two hours. By 12 noon, Umeadi came back to court. The court was fully packed with lawyers and spectators. When the court sat, Umeadi produced the one sheet of paper gazette. He applied that he wanted to tender the gazette as an exhibit. It was tendered as an exhibit. He read out the contents of the gazette which was hurriedly made that day. The content were that the 12th June, 1993 election had been annulled. It was admitted as an exhibit.

The learned judge then asked me what my submission was on the gazette. The court was silent. Everybody was anxious to know my submission. I shook my head and I looked straight into the face of the judge and I said, “My Lord, there is no objection to the admissibility of the gazette. However, I have an observation, My Lord, this is the saddest day for the judiciary. We are at the beginning of a journey the end of which nobody knows.” Then I sat down.

The court ruled that the election had been annulled. Everybody went home expressing disappointment. It was the headline news in radio and newspapers the following day.

Shattered hope

The presidential election of June 12, 1993 was regarded by most Nigerians as the freest, fairest and most credible election ever conducted in Nigeria since its independence. During the election, Nigerians displayed rare evidence of national unity. We set aside ethnic and religious differences and united to elect Chief Abiola as president. Nigerians exuded hope in expectation of a transition to a civilian rule, to a leader of their own choice. We felt that their voices had finally been heard.  Sadly, this hope was not to last.

On June 23 1993, Mr. Nduka Irabor, the press secretary to Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, announced that the June 12 elections had been annulled. This announcement terminated all court proceedings regarding the June 12 elections, repealed all decrees governing the transition to Civilian rule in Nigeria and suspended the National Electoral Commission (NEC).  The announcement was read out from a scrap paper which bore neither the presidential seal nor the official letterhead of the government. 

Upon the annulment of the June 12 poll, the brewing hope was immediately replaced by a sense of betrayal, outrage and eventually protests in many parts of Nigeria which claimed the lives of many. Nigeria teetered on the edge of chaos and threats of cessation. This also coincided with the vacation of the seat of the head of state by Gen. Babangida. The vacuum and the growing chaos gave the military the legitimate foothold to plunge Nigeria again into a dark era of political repression under the tyrannical administration of Gen. Sani Abacha.

The annulment of the election altered the course of Nigeria’s democracy and plunged the country into uncertainty, unrest and a prolonged struggle for civilian rule. From this time, Nigerians started mulling the idea that their opinions do not matter in polls. The annulled election of June 12 began the decline of the trust of Nigerians in the sanctity of elections. Thus my prediction that we are at the beginning of a journey, the end of which no one knows had come true. Indeed, the recent book of Babangida confirms in large measure that more and more facts are still coming and will come about those who nullified the election and the reason why they did so.

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Actions and inactions have consequences

In June 26 1993, Gen. Babangida attempted to justify the annulment by alleging that a nationwide widespread electoral malpractice during the elections necessitated the annulment.  Almost 32 years later, Gen. Babangida admitted in his autobiography as follows: 1. Chief Abiola had the majority of the lawful votes cast in the June 12 1993 election.  2. Chief Abiola satisfied the two main constitutional requirements for winning presidential election, which are majority votes and geographical spread.  3. The June 12 poll was annulled by the military for reasons other than the reasons announced by Gen. Babangida in his speech of June 26 1993.  4. He (Gen. Babangida) takes full responsibility for the annulment.

The issue as to whether or not Babangida’s admission is actionable or not is for another day.

To be continued…

AARE AFE BABALOLA, OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D (Lond.)