Headline
Pendulum: Our President Has Done It Again
Published
6 years agoon
By
Eric
By Dele Momodu
Fellow Nigerians, the way events happen at the speed of light, in our dear beloved country Nigeria, is unbelievable. I flew out of Lagos yesterday on a few hours flight to Sierra Leone but within that twinkle of an eye, a monumental development had occurred back home. Thanks to social media, cyberspace was awash and agog with the story of President Muhammadu Buhari literally firing the Chief Justice of the Federation, Honourable Justice, Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen GCON, with automatic alacrity, even though the President claimed that his action was merely a suspension.
I’m not a lawyer but I’m knowledgeable enough about the Constitutional supremacy, rule of law, fair hearing and judicial process. For now, I will not go into the rights and wrongs of the allegations against the CJN, Honourable Justice Onnoghen because the matter is subjudice as it is still being dealt with by the courts. The President’s actions yesterday would seem to belie this crucial fact. The case against CJN Onnoghen may later turn out to be unassailable, but until then he should be given the benefit of the doubt and allowed to enjoy his right to be presumed innocent until declared guilty by a court of law. It is for him to choose the path of honour and resign, but it is also entirely his discretion, knowing the strength of his case and the conviction about his innocence, to insist on remaining in position until the outcome of the case against him is known.
Without jumping to any conclusions yet, I took time to read President Buhari’s speech dealing with the swearing in of the newly appointed Acting Chief Justice of the Federation, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed. I was alarmed by what I read. The rhetoric seemed to me to be even worse than it has been in the past. The dictatorial and strident tone and toga of the President in his first speech as Military Head of State was all too palpable for me. I am certain that this speech will go down in the annals of Nigerian history as one of the epochal speeches that shaped Nigeria. Whether for good or ill, only time will tell. Let me therefore literally and figuratively take the pain to quote him verbatim.
Fellow Nigerians,
A short while ago, I was served with an Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal issued on Wednesday 23rd January 2019, directing the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen, from office pending final determination of the cases against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and several other fora relating to his alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.
2. The nation has been gripped by the tragic realities of no less a personality than the Chief Justice of Nigeria himself becoming the accused person in a corruption trial since details of the petition against him by a Civil Society Organization first became public about a fortnight ago.
3. Although the allegations in the petition are grievous enough in themselves, the security agencies have since then traced other suspicious transactions running into millions of dollars to the CJN’s personal accounts, all undeclared or improperly declared as required by law.
4. Perhaps more worrisome is the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s own written admission to the charges that he indeed failed to follow the spirit and letter of the law in declaring his assets, citing ’’mistake’’ and ’’forgetfulness’’ which are totally unknown to our laws as defences in the circumstances of his case.
5. One expected that with his moral authority so wounded, by these serious charges of corruption, more so by his own written admission, Mr. Justice Walter Onnoghen would have acted swiftly to spare our Judicial Arm further disrepute by removing himself from superintending over it while his trial lasted.
6. Unfortunately, he has not done so. Instead, the nation has been treated to the sordid spectacle of a judicial game of wits in which the Chief Justice of Nigeria and his legal team have made nonsense of the efforts of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to hear the allegation on merit and conclude the trial as quickly as possible considering the nature of the times in which we live.
7. Whether deliberately or inadvertently, we have all seen the full weight of the Chief Justice of Nigeria descend on the tender head of one of the organs of justice under his control. There is simply no way the officers of that court, from the Chairman to the bailiffs, can pretend to be unaffected by the influence of the leader of the Judiciary.
8. Not only the trial court, but others have been put on the spot. Practically every other day since his trial commenced, the nation has witnessed various courts granting orders and counter-orders in favour of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, all of them characterised by an unholy alacrity between the time of filing, hearing and delivery of judgment in same.
9. The real effect has been a stalling of the trial of Justice Onnoghen, helped along by lawyers who insist that these orders, whether right or wrong are technically valid, and must be obeyed till an appellate Court says otherwise. No doubt, that it is the proper interpretation, but is it the right disposition for our nation?
10. Nigeria is a constitutional democracy and no one must be, or be seen to be, above the law. Unfortunately, the drama around the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria has challenged that pillar of justice in the perception of the ordinary man on the street. For it is certain that no ordinary Nigerian can get the swift and special treatment Justice Onnoghen has enjoyed from his subordinates and privies in our Judicature.
11. In the midst of all these distracting events, the essential question of whether the accused CJN actually has a case to answer has been lost in the squabble over the form and nature of his trial. This should not be so.
12. If Justice cannot be done and clearly seen to be done, society itself is at risk of the most unimaginable chaos. As a Government, we cannot stand by wailing and wringing our hands helplessly but give our full backing and support to those brave elements within the Judiciary who act forthrightly, irrespective of who is involved.
13. As you are all aware, the fight against corruption is one of the tripod of policies promised to Nigerians by this administration. Needless to say that it is an existential Policy which must be given adequate attention and commitment by all the three arms of government. The efforts of the Executive will amount to nothing without the cooperation of the Legislature and especially the Judiciary.
14. It is no secret that this government is dissatisfied with the alarming rate in which the Supreme Court of Nigeria under the oversight of Justice Walter Onnoghen has serially set free, persons accused of the most dire acts of corruption, often on mere technicalities, and after quite a number of them have been convicted by the trial and appellate courts.
15. Since there is nothing the Executive Arm can do after the apex court of the land has spoken on any matter, several of these individuals walk free among us today, enjoying what are clearly the proceeds of the corruption which for so long has defeated the efforts of this nation to develop and prosper.
16. It is against this background that I have received the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal directing me to suspend the Chief Justice pending final determination of the cases against him. It also explains why I am not only complying immediately, but with some degree of relief for the battered sensibilities of ordinary Nigerians whose patience must have become severely over-taxed by these anomalies.
17. In line with this administration’s avowed respect for the Rule of Law, I have wholeheartedly obeyed the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal dated 23rd January 2019.
18. Accordingly, I hereby suspend the Honourable Mr. Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen, GCON as the Chief Justice of Nigeria pending final determination of the case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
19. In further compliance with the same Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, I hereby invite Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed JSC, being the next most Senior Justice in the Supreme Court, to come forward to take the Judicial Oath as Chief Justice of Nigeria in an Acting Capacity.
20. Fellow Nigerians, we can only stand a chance to win the fight against Corruption, and position our dear nation for accelerated development when we stand together to contend against it.
Thank you and may God bless our country.
It is worth reiterating that this aforementioned speech read to me like a coup day speech, with all the preaching and pontificating, especially as it was littered with huge dollops of self-righteousness and moral indignation. The President sermonised in a holier than thou manner with the trenchant rectitude that has now become the hallmark of this administration particularly in the twilight days of this first term. President Muhammadu Buhari turned himself into a real four plus four. He became the Investigator, Prosecutor, Judge and Executioner in one fell swoop.
From that moment, Nigeria immediately transfigured, and migrated, to full blown dictatorship. The President, with one stroke of the pen, instantly abolished the principle of separation of powers as enshrined and entrenched in our Constitution. He more or less abolished any notion of the independence of the judiciary and checkmated the legislature with which he shares the joint responsibility for the suspension or removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria. Indeed, the President’s action is an abrogation of the supremacy of the Constitution, a document which he has given short shrift and practically turned to toilet paper. To all intents and purposes, that is how worthless our Constitution is right now!
One thing is sure, the President is no longer in the mood for the niceties or nuances of Democratic tenets and concepts, but is firmly in the autocratic power mode that militocracy so generously offers. I weep for Nigeria and I cry for the President and his gang of powermongers who have refused to read the history of Nigeria, and, if they did, have refused to learn anything from it.
I heard and read of many Buharideens shouting, jumping and jubilating that the President has done the right thing by summarily sacking the CJN. I don’t blame them, but I wish to let them know that the ozone layer they have entered is too dangerous for anyone to contemplate.
Anytime it seemed Nigeria has been conquered, the conqueror is usually defeated by the resilience of our long-suffering people. The tragedy is, I see many lawyers in this government who are all keeping mute in the face of tyranny, just for them to remain in power, by fire by force. As I wrote to our dear President not too long ago, man shall not live by power alone.
God has been very kind to President Muhammadu Buhari. He became Head of State about 35 odd years ago and was sacked in 1985. Anyone would have thought it was over and finished for him. In less than a couple of years, many Nigerians who hailed his emergence as Head of State were jubilating on the streets when his military government was toppled in a palace coup by those close to him. But God, in His infinite mercy and wisdom, brought him from the shadows of death and restored him back to even greater power and glory in a democratic setting, after making several amazing shots at the Presidency.
Holy Moses! No one would have thought Baba would blow his second chance and shatter it into smithreens in this manner. Since 2015, it’s been obvious that President Buhari is only different from Major General Buhari in terms of change of nomenclature and uniform. He must feel a sense of nostalgia for those days when he didn’t have to share powers with the legislature and Judiciary, and now craves a return to that time he was alpha and omega.
But truth is whatever victory he hopes to record, by playing for broke yesterday, can only be pyrrhic. Nothing more. When tomorrow comes, like it would come, sooner rather than later, he would look back with regrets and ask, why did I do that which may have been needed, but totally unnecessary.
I have no doubt in my mind that whatever happens, it shall be well with Nigeria and this too shall pass away.
Dear compatriots, stay strong and resolute. The best is yet to come. God bless our great country.
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Headline
Tinubu Denies Attempt to Turn Nigeria to One Party State, Mocks Parties in Disarray
Published
9 hours agoon
June 12, 2025By
Eric
By Eric Elezuo
President Bola Tinubu has denied insinuations that he has plans to turn Nigeria into a one-party state following massive defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from other political parties.
Tinubu said this while addressing the nation via an address to a joint sitting of the National Assembly with many other national figures in attendance on Thursday.
In his speech, Tinubu categorically said that reports he had plans of turning Nigeria to one Party State were false, adding that “I’ve never attempted to alter INEC’s registration list.
While throwing jabs at the opposition, Tinubu said that while a one party state is not in the offing, and will never be, but he and his party would not “close our doors to all those willing to join the APC”.
He welcomed Sheriff and Eno among others that have joined the APC
To the PDP and other parties still going through political upheaval, the President said, “I will not help you put your house in order. It’s a pleasure to witness you in such a disarray.”
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By Eric Elezuo
June 12 has become an official national day, after many years of the agitation to recognize it. It was the day that Nigerians set aside tribal and religious sentiment to vote massively for MKO Abiola and his running mate, Babagana Kingibe in an election everyone described as the freest and fairest.
But the presumed winner never took office because nidway into the release of the results, the then President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida annulled the process, and there began a crisis.
While many agitated for the restoration of Abiola’s mandate, many sold out, and joined the Babangida, Shonekan and Abacha oppressors.
Below is an abridged list of those in support and against the June 12 mandate. You can add more names if there are:
MKO Abiola
The story of Chief Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola is better compared to the beautiful bride, so beloved and cherished all because of how she distinguished herself. MKO, as he is popularly called, was the candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the disputed June 12 1993 Presidential election – an election acclaimed by not a few persons as the freest and fairest the country has ever had. The Ogun state born billionaire entrepreneur was leading handsomely when the Babangida junta suddenly annulled the election.
Abiola will not easily let go of his mandate, and with the people solidly behind him, he fought the Babangida and later Abacha junta to a standstill, and finally paid the supreme price when he died in detention on July 7, 1998, a day he was supposedly to be released, in the presence of notable world leaders. His death was a great blow to democratic and June 12 struggle.
One striking thing about Abiola’s democratic struggle was the fact that he didn’t actually need it. He was stupendously rich, and could have let go but he didn’t. He died fighting for the masses. He died a selfless democrat at 60.
Gani Fawehinmi
One of Nigeria’s finest lawyers, late Abdul-Ganiyu Fawehinmi was a human rights activist, who defended the masses without equivocation. He was fearless in his approach to matters so long as it provides succor to a citizen. Before he was recognised and awarded the coveted Senior Advocate of Nigeria, his followers had ‘honoured’ him with the ‘Senior Advocate of the Masses.’
Late Fawehinmi reported that he was arrested, detained and incarcerated a total of 32 times by successive military regimes, including those of Gen. Yakubu Gowon (six times), Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (three times), Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (17 times) and Gen. Sani Abacha (six times).
Babangida said of him, “I appreciate you that you have a strong conviction and fight for it consistently. This is the context in which I see Gani.” He added that the arrest of Gani is ‘all in a day’s work. It’s just part of the job description’. Today, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has posthumously honoured him with the GCON award.
Frank Kokori
As the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) at the time, Kokori singlehandedly paralysed the country’s economy by calling out workers in the petroleum sector to go on strike. The mass action significantly paralysed the economy, and gave the government a wake up call.
He allegedly refused carrots dangled by the Abacha regime all because of the democratic struggle.
Wole Soyinka
An intellectual of repute, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, was not left out in post-June 12 struggle. It is on record that the literary icon used his international connection to draw the attention of the international community to events in Nigeria.
He was one of the brains and voices behind the much talked about Radio Kudirat, which was set up at a time when the military had their foot on media organisations and journalists. He was also a strong pillar of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) made up of pro-democracy fighters.
Kudirat Abiola
She was the second wife of MKO Abiola, who stood stoutly behind her husband. While Abiola was in detention, Kudirat took up the mantle, and was in the forefront of the fight for his release. Joining forces with other activists and civil rights giants, she became a painful thorn to the Abacha led regime.
Her fearless journey was cut short when she was brutally murdered at the Oregun area of Lagos on June 4, 1996. She was only 44.
A partaker in her assassination, Mr. Mohammed Abdul, aka Katako, in 2007, confessed that Kudirat’s murder was state sponsored.
He said: “On the day of the attack, we followed Kudirat Abiola’s white Mercedez Benz from Ikeja to Allen Avenue and then to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. When we got to the Toll Gate area, (Sgt. Barnabas) Rogers asked me to get close to the Benz and I did. Then, he (Rogers) leaned out of the window and started spraying the victim with bullets with the P90 rifle. After that, we immediately drove to Dodan Barracks.”
Anthony Enahoro
Also a leader of NADECO, Enahoro led the coalition in the Diaspora while on exile. He was the Chairman of NADECO; the Chairman of the Movement for National Reformation and was the leader of Pro-National Conference Organisation (PRONACO).
The statesman, known for moving a motion for Nigeria’s self-rule, never relented in his call for the recognition of the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by Abiola.
On many occasions, he escaped assassination. He died on December 15, 2010, at 87.
Beko Ransome-Kuti
Beko formed what has been described as Nigeria’s first human rights organisation, the Campaign for Democracy, which was used to tackle Abacha’s dictatorship in the post-June 12 struggle. The CHDR is also Beko’s brainchild.
Under the regime, a military tribunal in 1995 sentenced Beko to life in prison for bringing the mock trial of Obasanjo to the attention of the world. His freedom came with the death of Abacha in 1998.
He died on February 10, 2006.
Ndubuisi Kanu
He is one of the few Igbo men who fought ceaseless for the restoration of the June 12-Abiola mandate.
After his retirement from the military, Kanu joined the pro-democracy movement and was one of the leaders of NADECO during the period; he later became chairman of the coalition in 2013.
Kanu also had his share of the bitter experiences like other pro-democracy activists like him. During the struggle, he reportedly escaped assassination by a stroke of luck
Alfred Rewane
Rewane was a successful businessman, a major financier of NADECO in the post-June 12 struggle. He used his means to support his compatriots in the opposition to the Abacha regime.
He was murdered on October 6, 1995, in his Ikeja residence, at the age of 78.
Abubakar Umar
Umar was another soldier, like Kanu who opposed to the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election.
He masterminded Abiola’s installation as president, and was caught, but was lucky to get away. He left the Nigerian Army in the heat of the struggle in 1993, and became a social critic and founded a political party called the Movement for Unity and Progress.
Ayo Opadokun
Chief Ayo Opadokun spent a sizable part of his life behind bars in the battle to actaulise June 12.
Alao Aka-Basorun
A former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Aka-Basorun was one of the pioneers of legal activism. Fondly referred to as ‘The Lion of the Bar,’ he was said to be one of the earliest proponents of national conference and restructuring of Nigeria’s federation.
He was one of the leading lawyers who defended Abiola during his “treason” trial, aftermath of his ‘Epetedo Declaration.’
He suffered a memory failure at the assassination of Kudirat Abiola and never recovered.
Abraham Adesanya
Adesanya, as the leader of the Afenifere and deputy leader of NADECO remained at home with the likes of the late Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba and a host of others while many fled the country.
He mysteriously escaped the assassins’ bullets in 1997. It was during the trial of those suspected to have attacked him that revelations were made that he was marked for assassination for being a member of NADECO, a group already outlawed by the military regime.
Tunji Braithwaite
Braithwaite was one of the brains behind the ‘June 12 Coalition of Democratic Formations,’ another pro-democracy advocacy group. Unlike some of his contemporaries, he rejected offers by successive military juntas and remained in the country even as a good number of activists fled the country.
Olusegun Osoba
One of the finest journalists Nigeria has ever produced, Chief Olusegun Osoba, was the Editor and Managing Director of government-owned Daily Times Nigeria Ltd under Babangida’s regime. He had bitter experiences like his compatriots.
Osoba revealed that Babangida sacked him three times while Abacha made attempts on his life three times due to his alignment with NADECO.
Osoba said in parts, “I will call him by his name. Three times Babangida sacked me. Three times he re-instated me. At last, he converted my sack to resignation. Three times Abacha wanted to kill me. I was in hiding for one year,” he said.
Other notable activists in the June 12 struggle are Frederick Faseun, Ibrahim Tahir, Balarabe Musa, Bola Tinubu, Ebitu Ukiwe, Walter Carrington, Bolaji Akinyemi, Bola Ige, Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba, Yinka and Joe-Okei-Odumakin, Dele Momodu, late Chima Ubani, Debo Adeniran, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Omoyele Sowore, Segun Maiyegun, Segun Okeowo, Femi Aborisade, Tokunboh Afikuyomi, Ademola Adeniji-Adele, Joe Igbokwe, Solanke Onasanya, Kayode Fayemi, Shehu Sani, among a host of many others.
The Villains
Ibrahim Babangida
Perhaps there is no greater villain of the June 12 struggle that Babangida. He will be remembered for his infamous annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. In fact, he started the imbroglio when on June 23, 1993, in a nationwide broadcast, he annulled the election.
Though he took full responsibility for the annulment of the election he claims it was a collective decision.
Sani Abacha
Abacha had the opportunity to right the wrongs of IBB, but failed to do so, instead he constituted himself as a terror, and planned to perpetuate himself in power.
During his regime, many lives of activists were cut short, and he caused others to flee the country. He did not stop at denying Abiola his mandate, he arrested him and held him inncustody until his death in 1998.
In his quest to kill June 12, and democracy in general, he lured and lobbied friends and associates of Abiola to serve in his government. Many of them such as the running mate to Abiola, Babagana Kingibe, Ebernezer Babatope, Lateef Jakande among others, withdrew their loyalty to the presumed president-elect.
Tony Anenih
Chief Tony Anenih was the National Chairman of the SDP, on which platform Abiola contested the 1993 election. Anenih, alias ‘Mr. Fix It,’ He practically failed to fix the people’s mandate, and forced forces with the oppressors.
Babagana Kingibe
Many see Babagana Kingibe as the greatest let down of the June 12 struggle. He was Abiola’s running mate in the 1993 contest, and common sense assumed he will stick with his principal to the end, but he became a turncoat and sold the mandate when he joined Abacha’s regime with the likes of Tony Anenih.
A lot of people have said that he does not in any way deserve the honours of GCON bestowed on him by Buhari. He didn’t fight at all before giving up. He never believed in June 12.
Uche Chukwumerije
The late Sen. Uche Chukwumerije became Babangida and Shonekan’s Information Minister while activists were fighting to reclaim the June 12 mandate. His propaganda theory was so potent that many wondered where he gets them from. He fought activists to a standstill.
In later interview, he supported the annulment based, according to him, on ‘security report…at the time’. He eventually benefitted from the democratic process as elected senator.he died on April 19, 2015,
Daniel Kanu
Kanu came from nowhere to become Abacha’s henchman and perpetrated serious anti-democratic activities, including organizing the infamous one million march for Abacha with his ‘Youth Earnestly Ask for Abacha’ group. He basically dined and wined with the autocratic government.
Kanu was reported as saying, “The destiny of this nation and the transition to democracy under the present dispensation can only achieve its viable potential if handled by prudent, purposeful, and transparent leadership of General Abacha.”
When he contested and won PDP’s ticket for the House of Representatives in AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in 2002, he was paid back in his own coin as his was ‘annulled’ over “unverifiable certificates” and “unclear antecedents.”
Arthur Nzeribe
He was Babangida’s own henchman, and was in the forefront of truncating the June 12 election with his infamous Association for Better Nigeria.
The ABN had made taken a major step to ensure the junta remained in power by approaching a court to prevent the conduct of the June 1993 presidential election. Its argument: leader of the NRC and the SDP were corrupt politicians.
The Campaign for Democracy challenged them and won.
Nzeribe’s association, again, went to court after the poll to prevent the release of the election results. Babangida listened and the political crisis ensued.
Nzeribe later boasted of his role in the cancellation of the June 12 election.
Abimbola Davies
He was one of the directors of the Nzeribe-led pro-Abacha ABN, among several others. He has been criticised for his links with the anti-democratic forces. Davies made a u-turn shortly after, and exposed the ABN motives.
Ernest Shonekan
A kinsman of Abiola, Shonekan happily accepted the interim leadership role. He could have used the opportunity to cause, but he never did. He revolved round the presidency until Abacha sacked him three months later.
Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao
The late Ibadan-based billionaire businessman pitched his tent with Babangida in as much as he was Abiola’s friend and Yoruba Islamic leader. He spoke vehemently against the June 12 mandate.
He said, “Wallahi tallahi billahillazi la’ila ha illahuwa – and we are in the month of Ramadan; that is what happened at that time. It was after the election that members of the Armed Forces Ruling Council threatened to kill both MKO Abiola and IBB, if he insisted on releasing the result of the election. They threatened to kill both IBB and Abiola.”
Lamidi Adedibu
The late strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, was said to have ‘arranged’ the infamous conditional bail to be granted to Abiola while in incarceration, a move that would have denied Abiola his mandate if he accepted the offer.
IBB was later quoted as saying that Adedibu supported the June 12 annulment.
Jerry Gana
Prof. Jerry Gana was one of the civilians co-opted into Abacha’s transition and being the Minister of Information, he was one of earliest people to sing the dirge of June 12.
Gana had in May 1994, almost the first year anniversary of June 12, reportedly said, “The military administration (Abacha’s regime) did not actualise the June 12 election, in spite of its opposition to the annulment, for fear that certain sections of the country could rise against it. If they actualised June 12 when they came in, another section would rise.
“The annulment is a painful one but we cannot because of it allow the people of Nigeria to be destroyed. Somebody has made a mistake like somebody made in 1966, like somebody made in 1984, like somebody made a mistake by stopping Jerry Gana from becoming a president by annulling my own primaries.”
Al-Mustapha, Sofolahan, Others
Abacha’s former Chief Security Officer, Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha; Kudirat’s former Personal Assistant, Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan; a son of late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Mohammed Abacha; and Rabo Lawal were in December 1999 charged with conspiracy and murder over their alleged involvement in the assassination of Kudirat Abiola.
After 13 years of instituting the case, which was presided over by five successive judges and during which the accused persons were in prison custody, Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan were sentenced to death by a Lagos High Court on January 30, 2012.
Lawal Pedro, who led the prosecution, had accused Al-Mustapha of ordering Barnabas Rogers, (alias Sgt. Rogers), a member of Abacha’s Strike Force, to kill Kudirat. However, the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Friday, July 12, 2013, discharged and acquitted al-Mustapha and Shofolahan, saying there was not enough evidence to incriminate him in the murder of Kudirat. The verdict overturned the death sentence passed on al-Mustapha by the Lagos High Court.
Similarly, the likes of Bashir Tofa, the candidate of the NRC, who has yet to openly admit that Abiola won the election; Chief Tom Ikimi, the chairman of NRC, who defected to Abacha’s camp; Humphrey Nwosu, who couldn’t muster the courage to release the remaining results and others.
The Five political parties that adopted Abacha as their sole candidate for the election are also great enemies of the June 12 struggle. Someone had described them as the ‘five leprous fingers of Abacha’.
Additional Info from The Punch
First published on June 10, 2018, and republished on June 15, 2024
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Headline
Tinubu Cancels Democracy Day Presidential Broadcast, to Address Nigerians at NASS
Published
14 hours agoon
June 12, 2025By
Eric
President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, canceled the presidential national broadcast earlier scheduled for 7 am Thursday, in commemoration of Democracy Day.
The cancellation was conveyed through a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Segun Imohiosen.
According to the statement, this is due to the President’s scheduled attendance at the National Assembly’s joint session on Thursday (today).
Tinubu is, however, expected to deliver his address at the National Assembly.
“Due to H.E President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, scheduled attendance at the National Assembly Joint Session, the Presidential National Broadcast on June 12 has been canceled.
“President Bola Ahmed will deliver his address from the National Assembly. All other plans are in order as announced earlier,” the statement read in part.
The President had been scheduled to address the nation at 7 am on Thursday as part of activities to mark the celebration before attending a joint session of the National Assembly at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Democracy Day, in a statement issued by Abdulhakeem Adeoye on behalf of the committee’s Director, Information and Public Relations, on Wednesday, said Tinubu would, after his address, attend a joint session of the National Assembly at noon.
Adeoye also said there would be no Democracy Day parade, while a public lecture on the Democracy Day celebration would be held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, at 4 pm.
The theme of the lecture is “Consolidating on the Gains of Nigeria’s Democracy: Necessity of Enduring Reforms”.
This year’s Democracy Day event marks 26 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, following the end of military rule in 1999.
Previously celebrated on May 29, the swearing-in day for the President, governors, National Assembly members, and state lawmakers, the Democracy Day event was moved to June 12 in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to honour the annulled 1993 presidential election won by MKO Abiola and considered one of Nigeria’s most credible polls.
The 2025 Democracy Day celebration will be the third since President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, after winning a highly contested presidential election earlier that year.
However, despite the over two decades of unhindered democracy in Nigeria, critics are questioning the country’s democratic values.
A chieftain of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, speaking on the Wednesday edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, warned that the country was sliding into a civilian dictatorship.
“I’m very happy that today coincides with the lead-up to June 12 (Democracy Day), so that if we still have any iota of conscience left, we’ll realise we have damaged this democracy,” Momodu said.
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