Babangida: I asked Abiola to head the interim government but he fell for Abacha's deceit

Following the annulment of the presidential election that took place on June 12, 1993, General Ibrahim Babangida, a former military dictator, has acknowledged his attempts to seek a political settlement with Chief MKO Abiola. In his autobiography, which was only recently published and titled "A Journey in Service," Babangida provided a thorough account of the private conversations he had with Abiola as well as the difficulties that existed throughout Nigeria's transition to civilian administration..

According to Babangida, following lengthy deliberations with a variety of stakeholders, he met with Abiola on many occasions, including one meeting that was organized by traditional rulers. While these conversations were taking place, he suggested that an interim leadership system be implemented in order to settle the situation; however, Abiola rebuffed the idea."Given that he firmly believed he had won the election, it was understandable that he rejected any form of interim arrangement," according to Babangida. "For him, accepting such a deal would have seemed like a betrayal of his mandate and an acceptance of the injustice of the annulment."Babangida also said that Abiola had put his faith in persons inside the military, including General Sani Abacha, who was serving as Nigeria's Chief of Defense Staff at the time. This information was reported by The Cable. Abiola was persuaded to think that after Babangida was ousted from office, his election would be restored, and he would be sworn in as president. This is according to Babangida, who claims that Abiola was led to believe this thing. On the other hand, he believed that Abiola was tricked by these persons, who had other goals in mind.The following is a recounting of Babangida's experience: "I was under the impression that Abacha and Abiola shared a close relationship." "But I was shocked to later learn the extent of Abacha’s disdain for Abiola."It was his contention that Abacha, along with other individuals, had been working behind the scenes to incite the military to rebel against his leadership and portray him as the offender. In his statement, Babangida indicated that their ultimate objective was to launch a coup and seize power by coercion.Abiola's decision to identify himself with those who, in the end, did not have his best interests at heart was something that Babangida voiced remorse about, as he reflected on the political atmosphere that existed during that time period. He made the observation that Abiola was finally given the recommendation to leave the nation, ostensibly in order to protect his life from potential dangers. It was Babangida's suggestion that this action provided Abacha and his associates with the chance to cement their control.In November 1993, only a few short months after Babangida resigned from his position, Abacha ultimately succeeded in overthrowing the interim administration that was commanded by Chief Ernest Shonekan. In the year that followed, Abiola made a declaration of his intention to become president, which ultimately led to his arrest and incarceration by the Abacha dictatorship.Abacha's objectives on the transition to civilian government were severely misjudged by Babangida, who acknowledged that he was misinformed. "I had known him for years and considered him a loyal ally, but I failed to fully grasp the extent of his ambitions," he wrote in his journal.The iron hold that Abacha had on Nigeria's government lasted until his untimely demise in June of 1998. A month later, Abiola, who had been held in jail during Abacha's leadership, sadly died dead under circumstances that are not entirely apparent.The admissions made by Babangida provide a fascinating new perspective on the operations that took place behind the scenes during one of the most volatile political eras in Nigeria's history. His story sheds light on the intricate power battles that ensued after the annulment of the election that took place on June 12th, an event that continues to be a defining landmark in the road that Nigeria has taken towards democracy