Lamido was the National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the party under whose banner MKO Abiola stood for elections.
Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido has revealed the real reason behind the annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections by the military.
The Former Jigawa Governor made this known in an interview with Punch.
Lamido was the National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the party under whose banner MKO Abiola stood for elections.
Abiola was the presumed winner of the elections that was adjudged free and fair globally.
Government owed Abiola N45b
According to Lamido the Federal Government owed Abiola N45b for contracts the firm which reportedly belonged to him - International Telephone and Telecommunication carried out for the Ministry of Communications.
The former Governor went on to say that Abiola refused to let go, so he approached some influential Northerners to talk to the military government at the time.
“Depending on whom you are talking to. When (General) Murtala (Muhammed) died, Abiola came in with a claim that he was owed, I think, about N45bn for contracts executed by International Telephone and Telecommunication for the Ministry of Communications.
“The military high command at that time said no. He went round the Emirs in the North to lobby and the emirs asked that they (military) should please pay the money. They (military) said they cancelled the June 12 elections because if they made him President, he would take his money and the country will become bankrupt.
“Those who were close to Abacha should know this, because Abacha was then one of the big shots; they were all aware. There was this Bosnian war going on in Yugoslavia. I said sir; the Nigerian people are very innocent.
“This is like the case of a Bosnian woman raped by a Christian Serb who got pregnant. Yes, it is true that the pregnancy is a product of rape but this is also my flesh and blood, I cannot kill it. This (election) is my baby, my flesh and blood, I will not kill it. I said so.
“We went through a process and expenditure, the campaign, the Election Day and even the entire government machinery was involved in the election which we won and you are now coming with the excuse that you owed some money.
“That’s your problem. The baby is my baby. Yes, it is a product of rape but I can’t kill it. At that time, the Nigerian mood had been worked to go against June 12," he said.
Lamido for President
The former Governor, who is also a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has numerous times declared his intention to run for President in 2019.
ALSO READ: IBB apologised to MKO Abiola's family about June 12 annulment
When asked what he will do about June 12, if he becomes President, here is what the former Governor had to say: “If I become the President, I will put it in proper perspective. I will go into the archive and bring out the genuine results and if Abiola is the winner, I will call INEC to announce the results and I will then go through the process and make sure we pay the N45bn he was owed because that was the main thing they said led to the annulment.
“I will withdraw the honour given to Babagana Kingibe, because he doesn’t deserve it. He betrayed June 12 and followed his kinsman (Abacha), going by the tribal bond, to undermine June 12. They picked Abiola and locked him up. I will put in place processes and procedure and see how best to properly honour Abiola through due process.”
Sule Lamido has constantly criticised President Buhari’s government over its handling of the herdsmen crisis in parts of the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari recently honoured Abiola with the highest honour in the nation - Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR).