By Rafiyat Sadiq
Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has accused President Bola Tinubu of supporting the annulment of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Chief Moshood Abiola.
Speaking in a live interview on Arise News, Lamido alleged that Tinubu quietly aligned with former military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida, who annulled the widely regarded freest election in Nigeria’s history. He claimed Tinubu only became politically active after General Sani Abacha took power.
“Tinubu was a senator and SDP secretary then, but he worked closely with Babangida,” Lamido said. “His late mother even mobilised Lagos market women to Abuja to pledge loyalty to the military.”
Lamido argued that Tinubu’s later activism through the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) was driven more by fear of Abacha’s crackdown than genuine commitment to Abiola’s mandate.
“NADECO was mainly reacting to Abacha’s repression,” he said. “Tinubu only became vocal when things got dangerous, not because he truly supported June 12.”
Presidency Denies Allegations: ‘A Distortion of History’
The Presidency has dismissed Lamido’s claims as false and revisionist. In a statement issued by Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Tinubu strongly opposed the annulment and defended democracy at great personal risk.
“Tinubu condemned the annulment on the Senate floor in 1993, calling it another coup d’état,” Onanuga said. “He was later arrested for resisting Abacha’s regime and went into exile, where he funded the pro-democracy movement.”
According to the Presidency, Tinubu played a key role in forming NADECO and supported protests against military rule while coordinating with global figures like Wole Soyinka.
Photographic and documentary evidence, the statement said, places Tinubu firmly among the frontline defenders of Abiola’s mandate.
Lamido’s Role Questioned
The statement also criticised Lamido’s own record, noting he was Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) at the time of the annulment but failed to defend Abiola’s victory.
“Unlike Tinubu, Lamido and others in the SDP leadership capitulated to the military,” it said.
Historical Legacy in Focus Ahead of 2027
The back-and-forth reflects ongoing tensions over who truly stood for democracy during Nigeria’s military era. Lamido, now a prominent voice in the emerging All Democratic Alliance (ADA), has positioned himself as a critic of the Tinubu administration.
The Presidency, however, maintains that Tinubu’s legacy as a pro-democracy fighter is well-established.
“As we move toward another election cycle, debates over June 12 and democratic legitimacy will continue to shape Nigeria’s political landscape,” Onanuga added.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.