MKO Abiola June 11, 1994
June 12 has been backed by Nigerian law as the official Democracy Day by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola summoned all courage and motivation from his perceived supporters on a Saturday, June 11, 1994, to declare himself Nigeria’s President.
It happened at the commercial city of Lagos, precisely at Epetedo, a suburb of the City. The event happened a day to the first anniversary of “June 12, 1993,” when MKO Abiola won Nigeria’s presidential poll.
He had won the presidential poll as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) by defeating his opponent Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC).
He had 58.36% of the total votes cast by winning in 20 out of 30 states against Tofa at the time.
But the military president at the time Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida annulled the elections despite the global positive perception of the polls.
The annulment changed the political history of Nigeria, and the heat was too much for Babangida to bear.
He stepped aside on August 26, 1993, and handed over power to another Yoruba man Chief Ernest Shonekan as the interim president of Nigeria, first of such in Nigeria since the country gained Independence on October 1, 1960.
Babangida’s decision gave birth to the formulation of various political movements for restoration of MKO Abiola as the duly elected president. One of them was the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
But one of the senior military officers at the time late General Sani Abacha planned and executed a palace coup and peacefully led Shonekan out of the presidential palace on November 17, 1993.
Relying on international recognition of the 1993 election and banking on the support NADECO June 11, 1994, mounted a political podium to announce himself as the president.
That announcement culminated into his never return journey as Abacha, who was barely seven months in office, ordered hundreds of police, soldiers and other security operatives to get MKO Abiola arrested.
Click The LINK HERE to read the speech MKO Abiola made on June 11, 1994, that sent him to Abacha’s jail
