In his recently launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, Babangida regrets the annulment and acknowledges that the Social Democratic Party’s candidate, MKO Abiola, won the election.
Describing the annulment as an “accident of history,” IBB blamed military officers led by Abacha, his then Chief of Defence Staff, for the controversial decision, alleging that it was done “without his permission.”
*’Babangida was in charge. He is just attempting to distort history’
Reacting yesterday in a statement by his son, Mohammed Abacha, the late dictator’s family dismissed IBB’s claims, insisting that Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time of the annulment.
The family accused Babangida of attempting to distort historical facts and shift blame.
“The decision to annul the election was made under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, who, as the then Head of State, held absolute executive powers and was solely responsible for his government’s actions,” the statement read.
“Any attempt to shift this blame onto General Sani Abacha, who was a very senior military officer within the regime, is a deliberate distortion of historical facts. For years, various actors have attempted to rewrite the history of that critical period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.”
The Abacha family also urged Nigerians to be cautious of what they termed “revisionist narratives” intended to manipulate public perception for political gain.
“We urge Nigerians to be wary of revisionist narratives that seek to manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons.
“The memory of our late father and leader, General Sani Abacha, must not be tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible,” the statement continued.
The Abacha family slammed Babangida’s autobiography for failing to present an honest account of events, stating, “We regret that A Journey in Service missed the opportunity and could not make history as a truthful and objective account of past events.
“As one public commentator aptly put it, honesty, sincerity, and integrity are virtues not commonly associated with the author.”
