- This comes after former military president Ibrahim Babangida admitted in his memoir that Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election
Senator Orji Kalu has urged President Bola Tinubu to recognise Moshood Abiola as a former president of Nigeria.
This comes after former military president Ibrahim Babangida admitted in his memoir that Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Kalu believes that declaring Abiola a former president posthumously would be a fitting tribute, and that his portrait should be placed alongside those of other former leaders in the Presidential Villa.
The senator commended former President Muhammadu Buhari for conferring a posthumous national honor on Abiola but stressed that further recognition is necessary.
He described Babangida’s memoirs as incomplete, urging him to publish a second volume that would address unanswered questions surrounding the annulment of the June 12 election.
Kalu also dismissed claims that the 1966 coup was an ethnic conspiracy, stating that it was a Nigerian coup executed by the military.
He reiterated that Abiola won the election, and there is no doubt about it.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, he said; “Yes, Abiola won the election. And I will say President Tinubu should declare him a president posthumously.
“Since Abiola won, his picture should be placed among Nigeria’s past presidents. I commend former President Buhari for giving him a national honour, but I also appeal to President Tinubu to officially recognise him and place his image where it belongs. This would help bring succor to his family”.
When asked about former President Ibrahim Babangida’s memoirs, Senator Kalu described them as incomplete, urging the former military leader to publish a second volume that would address unanswered questions surrounding the annulment of the June 12 election.
“I look forward to the second edition of Babangida’s book because the first did not reveal all the realities. I was present during the events of June 12, and I know what happened. Babangida should call out the names of those responsible for preventing the election declaration,” he added.
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