By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
Former member of the House of Representatives,
former Senate Chief Whip and chieftain of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rowland Stephen
Owie says the annulment of the June 12, 1993
presidential election was a divine recompense for
Abiola’s alleged past political misdeeds.
What is your perspective on the June 12, 1993
election?
When people talk about June 12, June 12; June
12 has no meaning. June 12 is the repayment of
evil for MKO Abiola. Whatever you sow, you reap. I
said about four years ago that if Abiola had been
president he would have been dead.
You think so?
Yes, let me tell you. Before anyone can say that
the annulment was evil they should answer four
questions. Number one, who was that politician
that brought what was called the Maroko land
deal to limelight? Who was that politician who
used the Maroko land deal as an albatross on the
neck of Chief Obafemi Awolowo? Who is that
Nigerian or group of Nigerians who went to
Obasanjo and connived with him and removed the
Electoral College act from the decree of 1978?
Who is that politician or group of politicians that
aided the military to take over the government of
President Shehu Shagari in 1983 after the NPN
convention? Who is that politician? Who is that
politician that aided the military in disqualifying
all the major candidates of SDP and NRC?
I say if they can answer it and the answer is
negative for MKO Abiola, then the annulment of
June 12 is evil. But if the answer is yes and it’s
MKO Abiola, the annulment of June 12 was the
best thing that happened because you can’t plant
mango and reap yam.
In 1979 I was in the UPN as a member of the
House of Representatives and there was a
provision in the transition decree of 1978/79 which
made provision for Electoral College if the
presidential election became inconclusive, and it
really was inconclusive, because Shagari did not
get two-third of the 19 states. So, we were
preparing for Electoral College. NPP, GNPP, PRP
and UPN we had majority in the National
Assembly which constituted the Electoral College.
The late Mallam Aminu Kano of PRP, Alhaji Waziri
Ibrahim of GNPP, Nnamdi Azikiwe of NPP and
Awolowo of UPN had met and we had all met. But
three days to the Electoral College Obasanjo
removed the clause on Electoral College; he
removed the goal post within the run of play.
Sen. Owie
The Electoral College was removed after the
election when we were getting ready for it and
that was why Awolowo had no other option and he
had to go to court and the judgment gave rise to
the issue of 12 2/3! A human being cannot be half,
he is either full or… and that is why Justice
Sowemimo said that that judgment cannot be
quoted in future.
Abiola and Obasanjo were involved as Egbas to
remove that clause. Concord brought the
headline “Maroko land: Awolowo where is your
sincerity”. We were in Minna when it was
published. Look it deflated the old man, it
scattered him, in fact, he was no longer himself
and he started battling how to explain.
Now NPN went for their national convention in
Kano and Umaru Dikko, he is alive, he said the
presidential candidate of the NPN is not for sale.
MKO Abiola wanted the presidential ticket he
didn’t get it and he then came and aligned with
the military people who now came in.
And IBB came and set up two political parties,
Shehu Yar‘adua, Adamu Ciroma and other major
contenders in SDP and NRC, overnight the military
disqualified all of them, aided and abetted by
MKO Abiola. Because if Yar‘adua were (involved)
there was no way MKO would have won. He was
not even in contention until the disqualification of
these major contenders. That is why I said that
June 12 was a repayment for evil that was done
against other people.
But how do you see the June 12 election in
terms of electoral conduct and fairness?
The June 12 election because it was an open
ballot and had only two parties which cut across
tribal lines was one of the fairest elections ever
held in this country. June 12 showed what a good
government can do in an election. If IBB and
Aikhomu wanted to tamper with the election,
they could have tampered with the election, but
they didn’t. It was a free and fair election but
what I am telling you is that the annulment that
came later was the hand of Esau and the voice of
Jacob.
What do you mean?
What happened was a repayment for evil.
But was that justified on the nation?
Yes! What I am saying is that it was God’s own
work, it was God’s own work.
For Abiola’s alleged sin of…
All the sins!
But did that justify the derailment of the
collective hope of Nigerians?
What is the collective hope of Nigerians?
Democracy
Was the Buhari coup against Shagari justified? Was
that the collective will of Nigerians?
That is debatable because many Nigerians
welcomed the coup just as majority of Nigerians
were against the annulment of June 12.
It is because you are a pressman. Do you know
how many people in my village that were not
interested and were happy with the annulment,
even though some of us were not happy.
You, were you happy with the annulment?
The annulment served Abiola right, quote me!
You cannot be destroying other people and
expect to have victory. There is a parable that all
those who destroy other people will end up
having destruction at the hour of their victory.
MKO should not have expected anything less. Tell
me, was it justified for Shehu Musa Yar‘adua and
Falae in the SDP to be disqualified? What did they
do? Was it justified for Adamu Ciroma and co in
the NRC to be disqualified? What did they do?
They were all disqualified in both parties so that
MKO Abiola who was a friend of the military could
emerge as the strongest candidate.
It was no secret that he paraded himself as a
friend of the military. That man could not have
expected to become president of Nigeria when he
had ruined many people. The truth is that God
does not come down to do some of these things
Himself. He uses human beings as instruments
and that is why when a man is looking for elective
or appointive position, maybe as LGA chairman,
governor, minister or president, he is looking for
an aspect of the divinity of God. It is out of that
divinity that the man in charge of affairs takes,
compassion, service to the people, ability to
manage everybody, forgiveness.
Unfortunately, the moment you get that position
and you do not utilise it, not generally, just some
part of it…if you watch when Christ cured the ten
lepers only one came back to say thank you, but
he said where are the other nine? And if you read
Hipppolytus he said that as soon as Christ asked
where are the nine that the leprosy returned to
the nine and they died of leprosy.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/annulment-was-payment-for-abiolas-evil-deeds-sen-owie/

I have always believed that the annullment was the hand work of God.I'm hearing this for the first time and I can't doubt it.
Thank God he wasn't the president.

I really agree with the interview.

Do unto others what you want others to do unto you.

You don't plant corn and expect to reap yam.

It was he(Abiola) who sponsored the sinking of a ship containing Bibles with his own money. Some of his steps showed that he wanted to islamise Nigeria. Unfortunately, Nigeria belongs to Jesus Christ. Time shall tell.

Intresting read.

Sen owie is confused

June 12 is just a propaganda. I thank God he wasn't allowed to lead this great country.

abiola also sponsored museveni coup in uganda .

nointervention.com/archive/Sudan/aboutsudan.com/dossiers/yoweri_museveni.htm

usafricaonline.com/TheGhost.html

https://mobile.twitter.com/BlackFacts_NG/statuses/331562433992863745

alkemmsblogger..com/2011/05/how-ugandan-president-museveni-betrayed.html?m=1&zx=717cb4f414d34e2f

and not forgetting ITT ofcourse

groups.yahoo.com/group/NIgerianWorldForum/message/221770

dawodu.com/oduyela10.htm

An elder has spoken,who am I to question the words of wisdom? The truth keeps coming out because some major players of yesterday aren't dead yet. This Baba is and was not in support of the annulment but,from an elder's perspective,he insists the annulment was the reward sins paid.

Someone urged Nairalanders to go and study history about June 12 and the man Abiola MKO. Sen. Owei is doing NL and Nigerians a favour by bringing up a historical debate about the Aare Ona Kankafo of Yorubaland to the fore.
Let the debate begin.......Please no tribal insult, debate logically.

Where is eko ile and his Yoruba party APC?

Yorubas are really the problem of this country.

Long Shitty story!!!