TUNDUN Abiola, daughter to the Late M.K.O Abiola, says Ibrahim Babangida, former military Head of State, has apologised to the Abiola family in private for the events of June 12, 1993, but ego won’t allow him do same in public.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Televisions’ “Rubbing Minds”, Abiola said Babangida cancelled the 1993 election, generally referred to as the freest and fairest election in Nigeria, because his life was being threatened.
“Regarding IBB (Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida), he has actually apologised to the family,” Tundun Abiola said.
“IBB has said in public, but stopped short of an apology, that his life was threatened, he was afraid for his life.
“He was told by certain parties that Abiola must never be Commander-in-Chief of this country. ‘We will kill him and we will kill you’. So he was afraid. He has actually said that publicly.
“This was a tale of two Generals. A General should never fear death, so it was funny for me that he would. And you now have someone like General Buhari showing leadership in this regard.
“Back to Babangida, we often sort of lionise human beings but these men are just humans. Their names are written large in the Nigerian history: M.K.O, to me that’s daddy. IBB is someone else’s daddy, OBJ is somebody else’s daddy. They are men, they have their little whims and caprices.
“For some it’s ego, and for Babangida, it’s fear. He did not want to die.”
Asked why, in her opinion, Babangida is yet to publicly apologise for annulling the June 12, 1993 elections, Tundun Abiola said it was ego.
“It’s difficult to humble yourself – a whole IBB, evil genius, Maradona – to be remorseful. Even for him to admit fear, with all of that legend around his person, must have been difficult for him to do.”
Watch Tundun Abiola’s interview as shared on twitter by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu:
“Regarding IBB, he has actually apologized to the (Abiola) family.”
Many didn’t know this. #RRubbinMinds pic.twitter.com/vZxyd8iEUF
— Ebuka Obi-Uchendu (@Ebuka) June 11, 2018