Annulment Of June 12 Election Was For The Hatred — Obasanjo

Daily Metro News NG

A former Nigeria President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said the June 12, 1993 presidential election was annulled out of hatred for the late business tycoon, Chief MKO Abiola, who generally was believed to have been won the election.

Obasanjo said this on Sunday in Abeokuta, during his investiture as a Trustee of the Abeokuta Club, a sociocultural organisation of Egba people in Ogun State.

The Late Abiola was also awarded a posthumous Vice-Patron of the Club during its 46th President Party held at the secretariat in Abeokuta.

Speaking at the event, Obasanjo said Abiola deserved the award given to him by the club, adding that the late politician was his schoolmate at the Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta.

The former President lamented that Abiola would have been the third prominent Egba man to occupy the seat of the president in Nigeria after himself (Obasanjo) and the former Head of the National Interim Government, Chief Earnest Shonekan had occupied the office at different times.

Obasanjo lamented that the cancellation of the June 12 election had robbed of the Egbaland the rare opportunity to achieve the feat.

He said; “I want to thank the (Abeokuta) club for this honour being bestowed on me and the honour being bestowed on my school mate MKO Abiola which he richly deserved.

“Kabiyesi, the Alake (of Egbaland) alluded to it. Normally when you win a cup three times, you keep that cup. Isn’t it? If not for bad belle (hatred), Abeokuta would have produced President of Nigeria three times, in which case we should have kept it permanently.

“But be that as it may, we have a great heritage and we should be proud of our heritage.”

Obasanjo also pledged his commitment to the development of the club, Ogun State, Nigeria, Africa and the world entirely.