Abacha’s family accuses Babangida of rewriting history

The family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has accused former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida of attempting to rewrite history by blaming Abacha for the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

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In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, Mohammed Abacha, the eldest son of the late military ruler, speaking on behalf of the family, dismissed Babangida’s claim as an attempt to distort historical facts. He insisted that as the Head of State at the time, Babangida held full executive power and should take sole responsibility for the annulment.

“Our attention has been drawn to recent claims by General Babangida, alleging that the annulment of the June 12 election was the responsibility of the late General Sani Abacha. This is a deliberate distortion of historical facts,” the statement read.

The Abacha family emphasized that General Sani Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief when the election was annulled. They argued that Babangida, as the country’s leader at the time, made the decision and must bear full responsibility for its consequences.

“It is important to state unequivocally that General Sani Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time the June 12 election was annulled. The decision to annul the election was made under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, who, as the then Head of State, held absolute executive powers and was solely responsible for the actions of his government,” the family stated.

The statement further described Abacha as a loyal friend to Babangida, recalling that during a time of personal threat, Abacha ensured Babangida’s safety. “Despite this attempt to shift blame, General Abacha remained a true and loyal friend to Babangida until his death,” they added.

The family also cautioned Nigerians against accepting revisionist accounts that manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons. “We urge Nigerians to reject revisionist narratives meant to manipulate public perception and distort historical truth,” they added.

They expressed gratitude to Nigerians who continue to defend Abacha’s legacy and stand for historical accuracy.

Babangida had recently admitted in his memoir that Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election, calling its annulment the most difficult decision of his life. Previously, he justified it on security grounds, but now he acknowledges that Abiola met all constitutional requirements to be declared president.