NIGERIANS 30 years – and older – would remember series of
meetings at Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s farm in Otta to resolve
the political jam the military created with the annulment of
the June 12 presidential election of 1993.
President Muhammadu Buhari was one of the prominent
faces at the meeting that sought solutions to the impasse. It
was a pro-June 12 coalition, or so many thought.
One day in August, 22 years ago, Obasanjo told the gathering
that the meetings were over. An interim government was in
place and General Sani Abacha’s coup was only months away.
Memories of those events may be drifting to oblivion, but June
12 is a massive judgment whose perpetrators became its
beneficiaries and are stridently opposed to any association
with it. June 12 is a reminder of Nigeria’s wasted political
opportunities. The election, in 1993, which Chief Moshood
Kashimawo Olawale Abiola won but the military annulled,
remains one of Nigeria’s most tumultuous moments in the
past 22 years.
The presidential candidate and his vice (Babagana Kingibe)
were Muslims. It meant nothing to Nigerians who voted for
them against another Muslim candidate Bashir Torfa who had
a Christian running mate, Dr. Sylvester Ugo, former Governor
of the Bank of Biafra. In 2015, religion was an issue in our
elections.
On June 12, a year after, Abiola declared himself president in
Epe-tedo, a public square on Lagos Island. He died in
detention, on July 8, 1998, after meeting a US delegation. A
month after Abacha died.
General Abdulsalami Abubakar succeeded Abacha. His 10-
month transition programme made Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
president. Obasanjo ignored June 12 in his eight years in
office.
Some All Progressives Congress States honour Abiola with a
public holiday. The biggest national recognition for Abiola
remains his listing among the 100 honoured in Nigeria’s
Centenary Awards.
The haste to forget the lessons about June 12 aligns with the
political class’ hurry to over-step issue in its bid for power.
Politicians abhor opposition, even within the same party. The
national tensions from religions and regions in our politics
show that we learnt nothing from June 12.
Some have better memories of June 12. It is the 22ndRussian
Day, to mark sovereignty of Russia from the crumbling Union
of Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR. It is also the 117th
Independence Day anniversary of the Philippines.
How will June 12 be treated under the change agenda? What
will be the official position on the presidential election of
1993? Will Abiola be recognised?
Just like the Civil War, we write Nigeria’s history, deliberately
leaving out critical parts like June 12. A nation building its
greatness on a mutilated past is on quick sand.






www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/june-12-under-change/

Change has "annulled" June 12 finally naa. Are they still agitated?

What is paramount on Tinubu's agenda now is why should Saraki be SP and Gbaja not voted as Speaker, and you know Tinubu is the father of SW. So case closed.

*spreads mat....

I only remember "Oso Abiola"!!!