Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has urged President Bola Tinubu to compensate the family of the late Moshood Abiola with ₦45 billion as restitution for the annulled 12 June 1993 presidential election.
Lamido made the appeal on Tuesday during the public launch of his autobiography, Being True to Myself, in Abuja.
He argued that the payment would serve not only as a gesture of justice but also as moral closure for one of Nigeria’s most painful democratic setbacks.
“Before I conclude, I would like to appeal to President (Bola) Tinubu to bring closure to the June 12 episode,” Lamido said.
Referencing General Ibrahim Babangida’s recently released memoir, Lamido said, “In his book, General Babangida acknowledged that Abiola won the election. He told me personally that Abiola was owed ₦45 billion. He said if he were President, he would have paid the money. That means Abiola has suffered twice—he was denied the presidency and denied what he was owed.”
“Please tell the President to pay Abiola’s family this ₦45 billion. It is crucial. Once paid, the matter can finally be laid to rest,” he added.
Lamido’s call came shortly after renewed debate sparked by the February release of Babangida’s memoir, A Journey in Service, in which the former military ruler publicly admitted for the first time that Abiola won the annulled election—widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll.
According to Babangida, Abiola of the Social Democratic Party polled 8,128,720 votes, defeating Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention, who secured 5,848,247 votes.
Babangida admitted that annulling the election was the most difficult decision of his life, claiming he feared military coups and national unrest. He took responsibility for the administration’s actions, though he asserted that the annulment was carried out by elements within his government and without his explicit authorisation.
The revelations have triggered mixed reactions nationwide. While some—including President Tinubu—commended Babangida’s long-awaited acknowledgment of Abiola’s mandate, critics and human rights groups accused the former leader of attempting to deflect responsibility.
In 2018, former President Muhammadu Buhari posthumously conferred on Abiola the title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR)—Nigeria’s highest national honour—and declared 12 June as Democracy Day in recognition of Abiola’s enduring legacy in the country’s democratic journey.