Political Analyst Reacts As Abacha’s Children Attack Babangida over June 12 Annulment
- Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, PDP National Youth Group spokesperson, has described General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida's latest confession about the winner of the June 12 election, "as a prayer of forgiveness to God"
- Speaking exclusively with Legit.ng on Sunday, Akinniyi faulted Babangida for linking Abacha's regime to the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election
- Interestingly, Akinniyi explained why Abacha's children should not raise their voices at IBB and mentioned one Nigerian top political bigwig who had a full knowledge of Abacha's regime
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, spokesperson of the PDP National Youth Group, has criticised former Military President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), fol blaming late General Sani Abacha over the outcome of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
"IBB should mention names and not point fingers at Abacha"
Source: Getty Images
Legit.ng reported that Babangida (IBB) also narrated how late General Sani Abacha, plotted to violently overthrow him and kill Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.
Babangida said Abacha had a deep-seated hatred for Abiola and would have used his forces to kill him.
In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng on Sunday, February 23, Dare Akinniyi described Babangida's revelation as "a subtle prayer of forgiveness to God."
According to him, Babangida is pointing fingers and yet not taking full responsibility for his actions in 1993.
Buttressing his point, Akinniyi urged Babangida to be bold enough to name those responsible for the annulment and not accuse the Abacha-led government.
Akinniyi said:
"IBB's pseudo revelation to Nigerians is more or less a subtle prayer for forgiveness to God. There is nothing new in what he wrote in his book, I have not fully digested the but we have to take the book as – his account. Thirty two years later, he is mentioning and almost blaming everyone except himself, while he claims to take responsibility. The annulment of June 12 clearly is the decision of many people, IBB inclusive and they seem to agree on that for reasons best known to them, so IBB should be bold enough to mention their names and not accuse 'Abacha regime'. IBB is still withholding some truths."
Additionally, Akinniyi, maintained that it is not clear why Babangida decided to reveal the truth about the June 12 election at this critical time, thirty-two years after, however, he owed Nigerians the truth.
"Basically, Nigerians will move on from these revelations like other books before now. One will wonder why he decided to put it out at this critical moment but he owes his conscience and Nigeria, his account of either truths or lies," Akinniyi said.
June 12: "Abacha's kids should shut up," Analyst
Source: Getty Images
Recall that Abacha's children reacted to former military president Ibrahim Babangida’s claims that their father played a major role in the annulment of the June 12 election.
IBB launched a book, A Journey in Service, on Thursday, February 20, 2025, where he described the annulment as an “accident of history” and claimed he was not directly responsible for the announcement that invalidated the election, he claimed Abiola won.
In an interview with Legit.ng on Sunday, Akinniyi described Babangida's revelation as "a subtle prayer of forgiveness to God."
According to him, Babangida is pointing fingers and yet not taking full responsibility for his actions in 1993.
However, he maintained that Abacha's children have no knowledge of their father's involvement, hence, they should stop defending him.
The analyst further compared the public reaction to Abacha’s death in 1998 to the jubilation that followed Nigeria’s victory at the Atlanta ‘96 Olympics, highlighting the deep resentment many Nigerians held toward the late dictator.
Akinniyi told Legit.ng that:
"After IBB's book launch, I read the Children of Abacha who were barely in the know of what happened in the past, ranting in the defense of their father, Gen. Sani Abacha.
"They can't tell us who their Father was, the same way they can't guarantee his involvement or not. Sani Abacha was perceived as a brutal military junta and you will see that in his actions and dealings.
"Nigeria was thrown into wide jubilation on June 8, 1998, the date he died. People were singing and dancing just like we did during Atlanta '96, when Super Eagles won gold in the Olympics. The only fellow who can give a vivid account on behalf of Gen. Sani Abacha is Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, his kids should shut up."
June 12: "IBB's confessions will hunt our elections," Analyst
Meanwhile, Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, in an interview with Legit.ng on Sunday, warned that Babangida’s confessions about June 12 will discourage Nigerians from voting in future election.
According to him, it will damage the trust in a democratic system of government.
"IBB's confessions on the winner of the June 12 election, will continue to hunt our election - as people won't be motivated to vote, even when we are in a democracy," Akinniyi said.
Read more about Babangida:
- Falana hits IBB over killing of ex-president's best man, Mamman Vatsa, “The law Babangida used"
- 'How Abacha-led forces allegedly annulled June 12 without my authority', Babangida explains
Babangida speaks on death of Dele Giwa
Previously, Legit.ng reported that former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has denied any role in the assassination of veteran journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch, Dele Giwa, who was killed by a parcel bomb on October 19, 1986.
Speaking at the launch of his autobiography, A Journey in Service, in Abuja on Thursday, February 20, Babangida stated that the long-standing allegations against him were unfounded and that media sensationalism had hindered the investigation.
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Source: Legit.ng
