Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of supporting the annulment of the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Saturday, Lamido claimed that Tinubu, along with his late mother, Hajia Abibatu Mogaji, backed then-military ruler Ibrahim Babangida’s decision to cancel the election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll, won by MKO Abiola.
“Tinubu became noticeable after General Sani Abacha took over the government. Before that, he was just a senator and party secretary,” Lamido stated.
He further alleged that Tinubu’s mother mobilized Lagos market women to Abuja to show support for Babangida’s regime following the annulment.
Lamido also dismissed Tinubu’s longstanding claims of being a key figure in the pro-democracy National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) movement, insisting that NADECO was primarily established to oppose the Abacha regime, not to fight for the restoration of the June 12 mandate.
“NADECO was a postulation formed to fight Abacha, not for June 12,” he said.
Lamido’s comments come amid renewed national reflections on the June 12 election, a day now officially recognized as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
President Tinubu has consistently presented himself as a staunch pro-democracy activist and a victim of military persecution during the 1990s struggle for the return to civilian rule.
The presidency has yet to respond to Lamido’s allegations as of press time.
