“How Tinubu Supported June 12 Annulment,” Sule Lamido Speaks

• Former Jigawa state governor Sule Lamido has accused President Bola Tinubu of supporting the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election
• In a trending interview, Lamido alleged that Tinubu, was “hand-in-glove” with the military regime led by General Ibrahim Babangida, who annulled the election won by MKO Abiola
• Lamido also claimed that Tinubu only became active in the pro-democracy struggle after General Sani Abacha took power

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

A former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu supported the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election and was not part of the early pro-democracy resistance that followed.

Lamido made this assertion during an interview on Arise Television on Saturday, June 21.

According to Lamido, Tinubu was a senator under the Social Democratic Party during the election, and was “a major supporter” of former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, who annulled the poll.

As reported by The Punch, Lamido said:

“Luckily, we were all alive. We were all there and participants in that affair of political history. I was in the middle of it.

“Tinubu became relevant and noticeable after Abacha took over the government.”

“With all respect to him, he was part of those people who supported Babangida’s annulment of June 12.

“He was part of them.

“His own mother, Haija Mogaji from Lagos, organised the Lagos market women to Abuja to support Babangida.

“I’m saying this because it is history. I mean no harm or disrespect.”

Lamido added that he found Tinubu’s public remarks about his role in the democratic struggle unconvincing.

“I feel highly entertained by Tinubu’s rhetoric. The way he is dramatising his own role in Nigerian democracy.

“He was actively hand-in-glove with Babangida.

“Tinubu, after being Nigerian president, decided to rewrite and deconstruct history. It is very amusing.

“He was part of Babangida’s supporters on June 12.

“It was when Abacha took over the government that Tinubu became the so-called activist of June 12.”

Buttressing his point, Lamido also criticised members of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), which Tinubu later joined, saying they only emerged after General Sani Abacha seized power.

“All those NADECO (activists), where were they on June 11?

“They were not part of the June 12 campaign and activities,” he said.

He further claimed that while he and others stayed back to resist the military, Tinubu left the country.

“Tinubu ran away from the country,” Lamido said.

Read more about Abacha, Lamido, Babangida here:

• “How I transited from Abacha’s ally to prisoner,” Sule Lamido speaks
• Abacha’s family releases statement over Babangida’s claim about June 12 annulment
• Babangida admits MKO Abiola won 1993 election

June 12: Why Sule Lamido told IBB to his face to resign

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Sule Lamido has narrated his bold confrontation with former head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd), in his autobiography, Being True to Myself, launched on May 13.

The Former Jigawa state governor disclosed that he directly told Babangida to resign during the June 12 crisis following the annulment of the 1993 election results.

The former head of state, who was said to have been initially surprised by Lamido's earnest request, later admitted that he wished he had met him much earlier.

Source: Legit.ng