Lagos — Former vice-president Atiku Abubakar yesterday alleged that the inordinate ambition of General Ibrahim Babangida to remain in office "indefinitely" was the primary reason he annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Bashorun MKO Abiola.

Atiku was speaking in Lagos at the presentation of a book, "Dairy of a Debacle: Tracking Nigeria's Democratic Transition (1989-1994)", written by celebrated journalist and columnist, Dr. Olatunji Dare, on the June 12 crisis.

The former vice-president also said Major Gen. Shehu Musa Yar'Adua (rtd) predicted that the elections would be annulled by the Babangida administration.

The June 12 election is still regarded by many as one of the most credible in the nation's history.

Former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, buttressed the position of Atiku, saying that from the steps, actions and statements of Babangida, "he was not willing to quit office [and this] led to the June 12 1993 crisis".

Atiku said many Nigerians did not trust the Babangida administration to accept the outcome of the election.

The ex-vice president said before the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential primaries, Northern and Southern delegates met in Kaduna and decided to vote for Abiola.

"Our calculation was that after the election, Abiola would be the presidential candidate and I his running mate. There was confusion in Jos because what we sat down in Kaduna to discuss was not agreed upon in Jos. I called Shehu to come and settle the impasse.

"He came to Jos and said we should vote for Abiola. His position was that the West voted for him (Yar'Adua) in the SDP primaries and there was need to pay back. He said if either Babagana Kingibe or I emerged, Babangida would most likely annul the elections and if he did, the North could not protest. But if Abiola emerged, the South-west would lead a protest and chase the military out of power.

"That was how we elected Abiola in the second ballot and Abiola won gallantly at the general election. But Babangida annulled the elections. We protested and then drove out the military from power," Atiku said.

He commended the courage of Abiola in his fight for his mandate, adding that Abiola "paid an ultimate price for Nigeria's democracy".

Speaking at the presentation, Tinubu said the occasion afforded the opportunity to remember the debt of gratitude the nation owes Abiola, saying democracy would still have remained a mirage in the country if not for his death.

Tinubu, who was the chief presenter, lamented that many who have benefited from the struggle for June 12 to get to political positions and yet turned blind eye to the efforts by the late Abiola. He said the author who was never a beneficiary still stood for the struggle.

Tinubu also disclosed that it was very clear from "the steps, actions and statements of General Ibrahim Babangida that he was not willing to quit office which led to the June 12 1993 crisis. [The book] will refresh the memory of many and illuminate on the roles played by gladiators of that era that later robbed Nigerians the opportunity of having entrenched democracy as far back as 1993."

He recounted how one of the grand beneficiaries "whom the Almighty saved from the hang man's noose" and who later became president "did not even want to hear Abiola's name not even talk of honouring him. Yet, they reaped bountifully from his toil and still wanted more than his entitlement but for public outrage and vigilance".

He was believed to be referring to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In his remarks, the erstwhile chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, dismissed insinuations by some South-west political leaders that the annulment of June 12 elections was the handiwork of the North, revealing that the election was annulled "by a tiny few".

He said: "That is the biggest lie of the century. All Nigerians voted for Abiola including the Northerners. It was the work of a few people who robbed 14 million voters of their franchise. I was in the police force back then and I knew what happened. We almost lost Nigeria in 1993."

According to him, "Abiola gave us hope. It was so real. Some of us wanted to go that direction. Nigeria is in dire need of such true leadership who would stand for what is right and preserve the struggle of our heroes past."

Other dignitaries at the book presentation included Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), former Lagos State military governor, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Bisi Akande, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa, Chief Dr. Molade Okoya Thomas, Engr. Rauf Aregbesola and Dr. Kayode Fayemi.