Peter Obi reacted to IBB’s admission that MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993 election, calling it a step toward national healing. He emphasized the need for electoral transparency and acknowledged IBB’s economic contributions. Obi urged political figures to recognize past election outcomes for Nigeria’s democratic progress.
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has responded to former Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s (IBB) admission that Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993 election. IBB made the statement at the launch of his autobiography, A Journey in Service, in Abuja, accepting full responsibility for the annulment.
Obi, who attended the event, acknowledged IBB’s impact on Nigeria’s economy, particularly in the financial sector. He praised the former leader’s documentation of historical events, emphasizing the importance of learning from past governance.
Reflecting on the keynote address at the launch, Obi highlighted two critical points. First, a speaker remark that “nothing has changed” in Nigeria’s political landscape, comparing the country’s stagnant development to nations like Ghana, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, which have progressed significantly. Second, he commended Ghana’s democratic stability, contrasting it with Nigeria’s disputed electoral outcomes.
The highlight of the event for Obi was IBB’s open recognition of Abiola as the legitimate winner of the 1993 election. He described this as a crucial step toward national healing and urged other political figures to acknowledge past election outcomes honestly.
Obi expressed hope that Nigeria would one day embrace electoral transparency and justice, ensuring that true winners are recognized, paving the way for a stronger democracy.
