Abacha’s Family Releases Statement Over Babangida’s Claim About June 12 Annulment

• The family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has issued an official statement over the claim that their father was responsible for the annulment of the June 12 election.
• Abacha's family said former Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida's claim was an attempt to rewrite history.
• They warned that Abacha's memories should not be "tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible”

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 7 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events

FCT, Abuja - The family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has accused former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida of distorting historical facts.

Abacha’s family stated this after Babangida, in his book, “A Journey in Service’, alleged that Abacha’s forces were responsible for the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

Legit.ng recalls that Babangida said he was in Katsina state to commiserate over the death of Musa Yar’Adua when the June 12 election was annulled by Abacha-led forces

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According to IBB as he is fondly called, the June 12 1993 election was annulled without his authority.

Mohammed Abacha said the claim is an attempt to rewrite the history of Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

The son of the late military dictator said this in a statement made available to Legit.ng on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

He said his father was not the Head of State in 1993 when the June 12 election was annulled.

Mohammed reinstated that the June 12 election was annulled during Babangida’s administration.

He said shifting the blame on Abacha, who has no power is an attempt to deliberately distort historical facts.

“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. Any attempt to shift this blame onto General Sani Abacha, who was a very senior military officer within the regime, is a deliberate distortion of historical facts.”

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Abacha’s family urged Nigerians to be wary of those who seek to manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons.

He said for years, various actors have attempted to rewrite the history of Nigeria’s democratic evolution but the facts remain unchanged.

“The memory of our late father and leader, General Sani Abacha, must not be tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible.”

Source: Legit.ng