According to Daily Post, Former Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maina Waziri, has stated that the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, and his rival, Bashir Tofa, were not the original choices of the Nigerian electorate.
Speaking during the Second Posthumous Legacy Colloquium in honour of late media mogul Raymond Dokpesi in Abuja, Waziri said Nigerians cast their votes for Abiola and Tofa out of frustration with prolonged military rule, rather than genuine preference for either candidate.
“Nigerians, out of disappointment, were forced to vote in 1993 for candidates not of their choice. With due respect, Abiola was not the choice of Nigerians and neither was Bashir Tofa,” Waziri stated.
According to the former minister, political figures like Adamu Chiroma, the late Shehu Musa Yar’adua, and Bamanga Tukur were the true favorites of the Nigerian populace at the time. “The choices of Nigerians were Adamu Chiroma, Shehu Musa Yar’adua, Bamanga Tukur, and the rest of them. Nigerians were tired of military rule, so they were forced to vote to see if they could just ease the military out,” he added.
The June 12 election is widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. However, it was annulled by then military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, citing national security concerns—an action that plunged the country into political turmoil.
Reflecting on the legacy of Raymond Dokpesi, Waziri praised his role in strengthening the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and contributing to democratic development. He urged the documentation of Dokpesi’s political involvement from 1999 to May 29, 2023, to ensure his contributions are not forgotten.
Commenting on Dokpesi’s passing, Waziri remarked, “It was good he died at home. Otherwise, the controversy of his death on that day would have had dire consequences on this country.”
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