By Matthew Atungwu Former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida said he offered the winner of the June 12, 1993 annulled election, M...
By Matthew Atungwu
Former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida said he
offered the winner of the June 12, 1993 annulled election, MKO Abiola, an
interim government but he rejected it.
Babangida stated this in his just launched memoir, ‘A
Journey in Service’.
According to him, Abiola turned down the offer because he
was convinced to have won the elections that the annulment had denied him.
He added that Abiola at another time turned his back on any
form of
rapprochement with him and embraced the gimmicks of
deceitful ‘friends’ who hid their real intentions from him.
The ex-military president who ruled from 1985 to 1993
further stated that Abiola was advised by these same ‘friends’ to leave the
country to avoid death threats from fictitious military elements.
Babangida reiterated that his departure paved the way for
his ‘friends’ to consolidate their conspiratorial positions, which eventually
led to another military takeover.
“After several brainstorming sessions with various groups, I
contacted M.K.O Abiola to find a way forward. At one of my several meetings
with Abiola, I arranged this time by some traditional leaders and offered him
an interim position pending when we could resolve the situation.
“Not surprisingly, Abiola turned down my offer. How could
anyone blame him? For him, it was a matter of once bitten, twice shy!
“At another meeting, this time a more private meeting of
both families, I articulated that our lives were in danger of being snuffed out
by lurking forces that wished both of us ill.
“Unfortunately, Abiola turned his back on any form of
rapprochement with me and embraced the gimmicks of deceitful ‘friends’ who hid
their real intentions from him,” Babangida said.
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