…says late MKO was doubly punished – denied presidency and his money
Former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take a decisive step toward national reconciliation by paying the N45 billion debt allegedly owed to the family of late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.
Lamido, who served as the National Secretary of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), said the payment would offer both symbolic and moral closure to the unresolved injustices surrounding the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election—widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history and believed to have been won by Abiola.
Speaking during the closing remarks at the public presentation of his autobiography, Being True to Myself, held at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday, Lamido urged President Tinubu to demonstrate the courage required to finally close the chapter of June 12.
“When (General) Murtala (Muhammed) died, Abiola came in with a claim that he was owed, I think, about N45 billion for contracts executed by International Telephone and Telecommunication for the Ministry of Communications,” Lamido recalled.
“The military high command at the time refused to pay. Abiola lobbied through Northern emirs, who appealed for the money to be paid. Still, the military declined. The excuse given when June 12 was annulled was that if Abiola became President, he would claim his money and bankrupt the country. Those close to Abacha know this—Abacha was one of the big players then.”
Lamido noted that the injustice Abiola suffered was two-fold: being denied the presidency and being denied payment for contractual work legitimately executed.
“In his book, General Ibrahim Babangida acknowledged that Abiola won the election. When I visited him, he confirmed Abiola is owed N45 billion. He was doubly punished—first by being denied his mandate, and second by being denied what was due to him financially,” Lamido stated.
Directing his appeal to the representative of President Tinubu at the event, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammad Idris Malagi, Lamido urged him to deliver the message to the president.
“Please tell the President to pay the Abiola family the N45 billion. Once this is done, the June 12 chapter will be closed. It is very important for national healing and for setting a moral precedent,” he said.
