The former military president Ibrahim Babangida disclosed that he had offered MKO Abiola an interim government position following the annulment of the 1993 presidential election. However, Abiola declined the offer, believing he had won the election outright.
Babangida shared these details in his newly launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, where he recounted multiple meetings with Abiola aimed at finding a resolution. During one meeting, facilitated by traditional leaders, he proposed an interim role to Abiola, who ultimately rejected it. Babangida reflected on this, stating, “How could anyone blame him? He believed he won the election and saw an interim role as inappropriate.”
He further suggested that Abiola had been misled by Sani Abacha, then Chief of Defence Staff, into thinking the annulled election would be revalidated once Babangida was removed from power. Babangida expressed surprise at the animosity Abacha held toward Abiola, despite their apparent closeness.
Babangida recalled that Abiola’s so-called allies advised him to leave Nigeria due to security threats, a move that ultimately allowed Abacha and his supporters to consolidate power and facilitate another military takeover. He noted that one of his significant challenges at the time was Abacha, whom he initially believed supported the transition to civil rule, describing him as a complex character.
In November 1993, Abacha ousted the interim government led by Ernest Shonekan, which Babangida had established. By the following year, Abacha imprisoned Abiola after he declared himself president. Both men passed away in 1998 under mysterious circumstances, with Abacha dying in June and Abiola in July.
