Abacha-Led Forces Annulled June 12 Election Without My Authority” – Babangida

Former Nigerian military president Ibrahim Babangida has revealed that the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election was carried out without his authorization.

In his newly released memoir, *A Journey in Service*, Babangida recounted that he was in Katsina when the annulment of the election—won by Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)—was announced by the press secretary of his deputy, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu. He claimed to have had no prior knowledge of the decision, later discovering that General Sani Abacha, then Chief of Defence Staff, had led the forces behind the move.

The retired general stated that despite his preference for the election to proceed, internal pressures and military factions made it difficult to prevent the annulment. “These nefarious ‘inside’ forces opposed to the elections have outflanked me!” Babangida wrote, adding that he ultimately had to take responsibility for the fallout.

Following the annulment, Babangida stepped down in August 1993, installing an Interim National Government led by Ernest Shonekan. However, in November of the same year, Abacha ousted Shonekan and assumed power. He subsequently detained Abiola, who had declared himself president.

The annulment of the June 12 election, widely considered one of Nigeria’s fairest, led to significant political unrest and remains a defining moment in the country’s history. Babangida’s memoir sheds new light on the internal struggles and high-stakes maneuvering that shaped the controversial decision.