In a recent statement via his official X account, Chidi Odinkalu, a law professor and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, has criticized former military ruler General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
Babangida recently admitted that the late Chief Moshood Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election, blaming General Sani Abacha for the annulment.
Babangida made this revelation in his autobiography, A Journey in Service, which was launched in Abuja on Thursday.
The book details his time in power and the events surrounding the controversial election.
The June 12 election is widely considered Nigeria’s freest and fairest election.
However, Babangida annulled the results, preventing Abiola from taking office.
The annulment led to a political crisis, protests, and military crackdowns.
Many have blamed Babangida for the decision, but in his book, he claims Abacha played a major role.
Odinkalu reacted strongly to Babangida’s statement, criticizing the former military leader.
“Babangida waits until his memory has bn consumed by maggots and all his minions in the Armed Forces Ruling Council, #AFRC of 1993 have died, to claim that he too was a passenger in the annulment of 1993. And his audience clapped effusively,” Odinkalu wrote.
Many Nigerians have expressed mixed reactions to Babangida’s revelation.
Some believe he is trying to rewrite history and avoid blame.
Abiola, who was arrested in 1994 for declaring himself president, died in detention in 1998.
His death remains controversial, in 2018, the Nigerian government officially recognized June 12 as Democracy Day in his honor.
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