Former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, has said he decided to annul the victory of late presidential candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) Bashorun MKO Abiola in the 1993 presidential elections, to save Abiola because according to him, there would have been a coup d’état.
Babangida, who in commemoration of his 80th birthday granted an exclusive interview to Arise TV, revealed this during the interview.
He said: “If it materialized, there would’ve been a coup d’état — which could have been violent. That’s all I can confirm.
“It didn’t happen thanks to the engineering and the ‘maradonic’ way we handled you guys in the society. But that could’ve given room for more instability in the country.
He alleged massive pressure from within and outside the military to cause trouble on account of the outcome of the election.
“The military can do it because they have the weapons to do it, and others (civil society groups) can use agitation,” he said.
The 1993 presidential election was won by Chief Moshood Abiola,the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who later died in detention after he declared himself president.
Bbangida who spoke on Arise Television said there would have been a violent change of government if the election had ‘materials’.
He ruled Nigeria between August 27, 1985 and August 1993.
He will be 80 years old later this month.
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