The family of late General Sani Abacha has strongly rejected claims made by former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, regarding the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Babangida, in his newly released memoir, A Journey in Service, alleged that the decision to annul the election was influenced by his then Chief of Defence Staff, Sani Abacha.
However, in a statement on Sunday, March 10, Mohammed Abacha, speaking on behalf of the family, accused Babangida of engaging in a “deliberate distortion of historical facts.”
“Abacha Was Not in Charge” – Family Responds
Refuting the claims, Mohammed Abacha accused Babangida of attempting to rewrite history and urged Nigerians to be cautious of “revisionist narratives” aimed at shifting blame.
“Our attention has been drawn to recent claims made by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, in his newly launched book, where he alleged that the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election was the responsibility of the late General Sani Abacha.”
He insisted that Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time, emphasizing that the decision to annul the election rested entirely with Babangida’s administration.
“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.”
The Abacha family described any attempt to shift the blame onto the late general as “a deliberate distortion of historical facts.”
“Abacha Was Loyal to Babangida”
The statement also highlighted Abacha’s loyalty to Babangida, claiming that he protected the former leader, even when his life was under threat.
The controversy surrounding the June 12 annulment remains one of Nigeria’s most contentious political issues, and this fresh dispute between the families of two former military rulers has reignited debates over who truly bears responsibility for one of the nation’s most defining political crises.
