“Pay Abiola’s Family Their N45 Billion” – Lamido Appeals to President Tinubu
Former Jigawa State governor and ex-National Secretary of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), Sule Lamido, has called on President Bola Tinubu to settle a long-standing ₦45 billion debt allegedly owed to the family of the late Chief MKO Abiola.
Lamido believes the payment would mark a final act of justice in the ongoing efforts to close the book on the controversial June 12, 1993 presidential election saga.
Lamido made this public appeal on Tuesday, May 13, during the launch of his autobiography titled “Being True to Myself” in Abuja. Speaking directly to Mohammed Idris Malagi, the Minister of Information and National Orientation who represented President Tinubu at the event, Lamido urged the administration to settle what he described as “a moral and symbolic debt” to Nigeria’s most iconic pro-democracy figure.
“Before I end my remarks, I want to appeal to President Tinubu to finally close the chapter of June 12,” Lamido said.
“In his book, General Ibrahim Babangida acknowledged that MKO Abiola won the election. When I visited him, he also confirmed that Abiola is owed ₦45 billion. He was doubly punished- first, denied the presidency; second, denied what is owed to him.”
Lamido linked the ₦45 billion to contracts executed by Abiola’s company, International Telephone and Telecommunication (ITT), for the Federal Ministry of Communications. He claimed the payment was blocked by Nigeria’s military leadership after General Murtala Muhammed’s death.
According to Lamido, Abiola submitted a payment claim that was never honored. Instead, he said, Abiola was forced to lobby northern emirs to press the military regime to release the funds. The military refused, reportedly arguing that Abiola, if made president, would demand his money back, leading to a “bankrupt Nigeria.”
“Those close to General Abacha know this. They were all aware,” Lamido added, referencing claims that key figures in Abacha’s military government knew about the decision to block the payment.
This is not the first time Lamido has spoken on the matter. In a 2018 interview, he had hinted that Abiola’s financial claims were sidelined by successive regimes. Now, with President Tinubu himself a longtime Abiola ally and June 12 activist, occupying the presidency, Lamido believes the time is ripe to “right the wrong.”
Lamido’s appeal comes just months after former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida released his memoir, where he openly admitted that Abiola won the June 12, 1993 election, an admission that confirms what many Nigerians have believed for over three decades.
The June 12 election is widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. Despite this, Babangida annulled the results, triggering national outrage and sparking a wave of pro-democracy protests. Abiola was later arrested after he declared himself the rightful president. He died in military custody on July 7, 1998, under controversial circumstances.
In 2018, the Nigerian government under President Muhammadu Buhari posthumously honored Abiola with the title Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), a title reserved for presidents, finally recognizing him as the winner of the 1993 election.
Still, for many Nigerians, the wounds of June 12 remain open. Lamido insists that the payment would not only honor a legal obligation but also provide a sense of national closure.
“Tell the president to pay the Abiola family ₦45 billion. Once this is done, the June 12 chapter will be closed. It is very important,” he told the audience, drawing nods from political allies and observers at the event.
The presidency has yet to issue an official response to the appeal. However, with Tinubu’s personal history tied closely to the pro-June 12 movement, political analysts believe this may be one issue he cannot afford to ignore.
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