“There would have been a coup d’etat if MKO had won,” IBB opens up on June 12, says Buhari not fighting corruption
Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), has disclosed that Nigeria would have faced a coup-de-etat staged by the military if he had not annulled the June 12, 1993 General Elections which produced businessman, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO) as President-in waiting.
In the fully-televised interview on Arise TV, Friday, Babangida opened up in what he described as an ‘honest reason’ for announcing the annulment of the presidential election which the now late MKO Abiola of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) was presumed to have won by a landslide, defeating his rival Bashir Tofar of the also defunct National Republican Convention (NRC).
“If it materialised (June 12 elections), there would have been a coup d’etat which could have been violent. That’s all I can confirm.
“It didn’t happen, thank God for the Maradonic way we handled you guys in the society.”
Continuing, Gen Babangida said the election ‘could have given room for more instability in the country.’
On who pressured him into annulling the June 12 election, military hierarchy or civilian population, Babaginda replied: “Both.”
“Both. The Military, they can do it because they have the weapons to do it. The other is the social agitation.
On 24 June 1993, Babangida government shocked the world by announcing the annulment of the June 12 election.
Abiola of the SDP beat Bashir Tofa of the NRC in results declared in the 30 states and Abuja. And with MKO Abiola looking set to be declared winner by the Electoral Commission then headed by Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, Babangida annulled the poll.
Following public outcry, Babangida’s government attempted to discredit the election, by citing allegations of vote-buying and other electoral irregularities.
The annulment led to protests and political unrest, including the famous ‘stepping aside’ of Babangida and the selection of Chief Ernest Shonekan as Interim President, culminating in the military coup by Gen Sani Abacha.
Abiola died in prison custody on charges bordering on treason preferred against him during government of Gen. Abacha.
On how he acquired the famous ‘evil genius and Maradona,’ nicknames for himself, the man popularly called IBB said the names were manufactured by the media because of his ‘deft political moves.’
“That’s the very good thing about the Nigerian media and Nigerian people, you have to anticipate them.
“If you anticipate them then you live well with them. They call me ‘evil genius’, I marvel at that. The contradiction, you can’t be evil and then a genius.
“The definition of Maradona I got from the media is because of deft political moves. That’s the way the media described it.”
The former Head of State also took a subtle swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari, the man he overthrew in a military coup in 1984, as he criticized his poor handling of the fight against corruption in the country, positing that his regime fought corruption better than the current administration.
Babangida who fumed that those who stole billions are walking freely, recalled how he sacked a former military governor who embezzled N313,000.
“From what I read, from analysis, I think we are saints when compared to what is happening under a democratic dispensation.
“Today, those who have stolen billions and are in court are now parading themselves on the streets. Who else is better in fighting corruption?”