The family of the late General Sani Abacha has dismissed claims made by former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida regarding the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Babangida, in his newly released memoir, ‘A Journey in Service,’ alleged that Abacha, who was his chief of defence staff at the time, played a key role in the decision to nullify the election.
Responding in a statement issued on Sunday, obtained by News About Nigeria Abacha’s son, Mohammed Abacha, described the claims as an attempt to distort historical facts.
The family accused Babangida of trying to shift blame and urged Nigerians to be cautious of narratives that misrepresent the past.
According to the statement, the annulment was carried out under Babangida’s administration, where he held full executive authority as the Head of State.
The family insisted that Abacha was not in a position to make such a decision, as he was neither the head of state nor the commander-in-chief at the time.
The statement also noted that Abacha remained loyal to Babangida throughout his time in government and even provided protection when his safety was threatened.
The family expressed disappointment in Babangida’s book, claiming it failed to provide an honest account of past events.
“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 the actions of his government.
“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”, the statement read in part.
