HUMAN rights lawyer and former National Human Rights Commission chairman, Chidi Odinkalu, has criticised former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) for making “unverifiable claims” in his newly released autobiography, A Journey in Service.
In a post shared on Friday, February 21, along with a screenshot from Babangida’s book, Odinkalu accused the former leader of levelling allegations against individuals who are no longer alive to refute or defend themselves.
According to Odinkalu, Babangida “waited until they were all dead” before portraying himself as a ‘victim’ of their actions.
He said “Ibrahim Babangida’s book is filled with allegations against dead men and women. He waited until they were all dead and none of them could controvert him and he portrays himself as a victim of all these dead men and women.”
In the excerpt from the autobiography shared by Odinkalu, Babangida narrated events and controversies surrounding his time in office specifically with regards to the 1992 election. He mentioned Sani Abacha who later became a head of state and also MKO Abiola. Abacha and Abiola are both dead.
“Conveniently, Babangida, a committed record-keeper, could not produce any contemporaneous records, minutes, notes or other evidence to corroborate any of the serious claims and allegations he makes about these dead men and women,” Odinkalu added.
The book has as appendix, some speeches, interviews and result of the 1992 election.
The ICIR reported that for the first time after nearly 32 years, Babangida admitted during his book launch in Abuja on Thursday, February 19, that Moshood Abiola, known by his name initials – MKO – won the June 12, 1993, presidential poll, which he (Babangida) controversially annulled.
The launch doubled as fundraising for the presidential library for the former leader and raised over N12 billion in pledges and donations for the book and library.
While reviewing the book, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said Babangida dedicated a full chapter to the transition to military rule and the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, widely believed as the most credible, freest and fairest in Nigeria’s democratic history.
He wrote, “Although I am on record to have stated after the elections that Abiola may not have won, upon deeper reflection and a closer examination of all available facts, particularly the detailed election results published as an appendix to this book, there was no doubt that M.K.O. Abiola won the June 12 elections.”
Babangida, who ruled Nigeria from 1985 to 1993, often faces widespread criticism for key decisions he made during his regime, notably the annulment of the presidential poll won by Abiola and the murder of prominent journalist, Dele Giwa.
His new autobiography has sparked intense debate among political analysts and the public, with some lauding him for finally documenting his experiences in office, and others, like Odinkalu, decrying what they perceived as historical revisionism.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M