IBB admitted mistake, apologised for shunning June 12 – Abiola’s son
One of the sons of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, who won the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Alhaji Lekan Abiola, announced Thursday that General Ibrahim Babangida (retd), the former military president, had apologised to the family for calling the election illegitimate.
Lekan stated this at the MKO Abiola Memorial Symposium, which was organised by the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) and took place in Lagos. The symposium also featured the unveiling of the upcoming book, MKO Abiola: Symbol of Democracy.
Noting that past administrations had not fulfilled their obligations, he urged President Bola Tinubu to make sure the Federal Government paid his late father’s outstanding debts.
Addressing journalists, Lekan described Babangida’s public apology as a significant relief to the family, as it helped put to rest longstanding controversies surrounding the annulled election.
He said: “Ever since we returned from the United States, we have met with IBB, and he apologised to us privately. When he later came out publicly to say he was sorry for annulling the election and acknowledged that MKO won, he simply repeated in public what he had said privately. Every year, he sends someone to represent him at the June 12 events.
“Before now, the private apology didn’t go far. It felt like being punched in public and receiving a quiet ‘sorry’ behind closed doors. His public admission that MKO won the election brings us peace and puts to rest any lingering doubts. Some people used to question whether he really won, but now that IBB has released the full results, it is officially acknowledged—there’s no more controversy.”
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