The Presidency has fired back at former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, over his recent claim that President Bola Tinubu supported the annulment of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election.
In a strongly worded statement titled “Setting the Record Straight: President Tinubu’s Role in the June 12 Struggle”, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga described Lamido’s remarks as a “blatant distortion of history” and “regrettable revisionism.”
Lamido had alleged during an Arise TV interview that Tinubu, then a senator under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), backed former military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida, who annulled the election won by MKO Abiola.
The presidency refuted the claim, stating that Tinubu was one of the few lawmakers who openly condemned the annulment on the Senate floor.
Onanuga quoted Tinubu’s speech from August 1993, where he described the annulment as “another coup d’état” and demanded justice and accountability.
The statement also rebuffed claims that Tinubu’s mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, mobilised support for the annulment, calling them “false and offensive.”
The presidency further accused Lamido and the SDP leadership at the time of surrendering to military pressure, in contrast to Tinubu, who it said funded pro-democracy protests, joined Abiola in defying Abacha’s regime, and went into exile during the NADECO years.
“While Tinubu stood firm and was forced into exile, Lamido made deals with Abacha,” Onanuga stated, adding that Tinubu’s home was bombed by junta agents in retaliation for his activism.
Concluding, the presidency dismissed Lamido’s claims as politically motivated, urging him to “check his facts before going on television to spread falsehoods.”