Human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has criticized former military ruler, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd.), stating that in a conscious society, he would not dare to appear in public.
Farotimi’s remarks came in response to Babangida’s recent admission that Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was annulled by the military regime.
“To die for a people devoid of memory is to be killed over and over, again and again,” Farotimi said. “In a place inhabited by the conscious, IBB would not dare to show his face in public. But in the crime scene that doubles as our country, having been succeeded by even more villainous rulers, Badamasi is installed in the seat of the statesman. Tueh.”
Babangida made his revelation in his newly launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, presented at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja. The former military leader acknowledged that Abiola “satisfied all the requirements” to become president, having secured the majority of votes and met the necessary geographical spread.
He further described the annulment as the most difficult decision of his life. However, his actions triggered nationwide protests and prolonged Nigeria’s struggle for democracy, which ultimately led to the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
Despite the Nigerian government’s posthumous recognition of Abiola, including the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day, the controversy surrounding the annulment persists.
Human rights activists, including Omoyele Sowore, insist that true justice can only be served if those responsible for the annulment face legal consequences. Babangida’s legacy remains a subject of heated debate, with many questioning why he has never been held accountable for his role in truncating Nigeria’s democratic process.