IBB Admits Abiola Won June 12 Election in New Autobiography
Former military head of state, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has officially acknowledged that Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election.
The revelation is contained in his autobiography, A Journey in Service, which was launched in Abuja on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
Through the book reviewer, former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Babangida admitted that Abiola, who contested under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), secured both the majority of votes and the required geographical spread to be declared president.
“There was no doubt in my mind; MKO Abiola won the election. He satisfied all the requirements,” Babangida stated in the book.
He described the annulment of the election as the most challenging decision of his life but expressed relief that former President Muhammadu Buhari posthumously recognized Abiola’s victory and honored him with the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) title, a rank reserved for Nigerian presidents.
Babangida’s admission puts an official stamp on what has been widely regarded as Nigeria’s most credible yet controversial election.