IBB’s Attempt To Rewrite History Must Be Rejected-Odumakin
Yesterday’s attempt by ex Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to rewrite history during the launch of his autobiography cannot go unchallenged.
Expectedly, a rash of reactions have already trailed what was obviously a hatchet job executed to mislead the present generation of Nigerians.
For starters, IBB was clearly engaged in his usual Maradona style double-speak when in one breath, he took responsibility for annulling the June 12, 1993 Presidential election and in another, he blamed the late Sani Abacha who was his Chief of Army Staff for the treasonable offence.
It is indeed ridiculous that Babangida as the Commander-in-Chief of that junta could descend so low to accuse a dead man of such a heinous crime knowing fully well that the accused would forever remain silent.
Has Babangida forgotten that as the Head of State, he had the power to sack Abacha if indeed, the latter had threatened the people’s mandate given to Abiola?
Has IBB forgotten that his so-called transition to civil rule programme was not only long and winding, but also full of booby traps?
We recall that he postponed the hand over date to a democratically elected Government on two occasions in 1990 and 1992 before cancelling the election in 1993.
Will he also blame Abacha for those postponements? What about the banning, unbanning and rebanning of political associations and individuals? Would Abacha also take the blame for that?
It was an open secret that Babangida’s transition to civil rule programme was not designed to achieve a real hand over of power to democratic Government.
For now, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should posthumously recognize Abiola as a past President of Nigeria and confer on his family all the rights and entitlements the office attracts for deceased Presidents.
Considering the mayhem which was unleashed on the nation by the annulment of the 1993 election, President Tinubu must also hold Babangida and others found culpable for committing this capital offence.
Dr. Joe Odumakin
President,
Centre for Change.
