In the historical events that unfolded thirty years after the
annulment of the June 12 presidential election
in Nigeria, it is crucial to
understand the circumstances surrounding the cancellation and the political
climate at the time. The election was annulled during the tenure of General
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who served as the Military President and
Commander-in-Chief.
Contrary to popular belief, the decision to cancel the presidential
election did not happen abruptly or shortly before the election day. Instead,
it was a culmination of months of intricate maneuvering within the electoral
process. The Association for Better Nigeria (ABN), led by Francis Arthur
Nzeribe and Abimbola Davis, played a significant role in this disruptive
sequence of events, as reported by Vanguard.
On the fateful day of Thursday, July 10, 1993, in Abuja at 9:35
pm, Justice Bassey Ikpeme made a ruling that would forever be marked by infamy.
Despite the application being interlocutory, filed by the ABN, Ikpeme,
seemingly influenced and motivated beyond reason, delivered a “final”
pronouncement. This ruling flagrantly disregarded the provisions of Section
19(1) of Decree 13 of 1993.
As explained in a 2018 Vanguard report by Richard Akinola, the
plaintiff, Davis, on behalf of the ABN, had alleged electoral corruption during
the SDP primaries in Jos, which took place between March 27 and 29, 1993. The
SDP candidate, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, was contesting against Bashir Tofa of
the National Republican Convention (NRC).
Prior to the ruling, there were various exchanges between
Justice Ikpeme’s court chambers and the Office of the Attorney-General of the
Federation, occupied by Clement Akpamgbo, resulting in the postponement of the
ruling from morning to night.
Justice Ikpeme’s ruling not only halted the election but also
exhibited a biased inclination towards the interests she sought to serve,
surpassing the boundaries of an interlocutory level. She labeled the
allegations made by the ABN against some state governments at the primaries as
“the greatest shame in the history of Nigeria’s politics.” It was an
audacious statement made during the ex-parte stage of the case, without
allowing the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to present their side, thereby
revealing a judicial conspiracy.
Confusion gripped the nation, with the NEC promptly issuing a
statement disregarding the court order, declaring that the election would
proceed as scheduled. Simultaneously, the NEC filed a counter-affidavit
asserting that the court’s jurisdiction had been excluded by Section 19(1) of
Decree 13 of 1993.
According to a senior NEC official, the commission’s leadership
had visited the Aso Rock Presidential Villa earlier that day to brief the
government on their preparedness for the election. In a surprising exchange, a
member of the National Defense Security Council (NDSC), the highest ruling body
at that time, expressed ignorance about the election. It wasn’t until 9:35 pm that
same night that the accidental encounter resonated with the consciousness of
the NEC officials, as relayed by the official.
The ABN was suspected to have the backing of a section of the
NDSC, which indeed turned out to be the case. If Abiola had paid closer
attention to the ABN’s activities, Davis may not have appeared in court that
fateful Thursday morning. An associate of Abiola disclosed that Davis kept them
informed about the ABN’s plans and how Abiola could counter them.
While some suspected government involvement in the ABN’s
actions, few insiders were aware of Nzeribe’s visits to Aso Rock, where he
received briefings. However, many considered the plot too dubious to be
executed until the late-night court order.
Although Vice President Augustus Aikhomu issued statements
affirming the government’s commitment to the transition program and the
upcoming elections, the events of June 10, 1993, began casting doubt on their
sincerity.
Section 19(1) of Decree 13 of 1993, an addition to the
Transition to Civil Rule Decree of 1987/1988, specifically excluded the
intervention of the courts in the affairs of the NEC. However, the cabal of
that era, including the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice, a national security chief, and a handful of self-serving politicians,
disregarded this provision. They utilized the ABN as an instrument to disrupt
the electoral process.
The government’s failure to denounce the ABN’s actions raised
suspicions, as it threatened the major government program intended to
facilitate a transition to civilian administration. In 1993 alone, over 103
decrees were promulgated to regulate elections, showcasing the government’s
commitment to the transition program. Allowing a subversive organization to
sabotage these efforts revealed the dark intentions lurking within the hearts
of individuals.
On Saturday, June 12, 1993, the elections were held under
circumstances defying the expectations of the schemers. Despite the absence of
rain and reports of violence or election rigging, which were either
inconsequential or nonexistent, Nigerians were willing to endure any hardship
to ensure the military’s exit from power.
Preliminary results on Sunday, June 14, 1993, indicated that
Abiola had a significant lead in 19 states, while the NRC had a clear majority
in 11 states.
On Wednesday, June 16, 1993, the NEC announced its decision not
to release the final results of the presidential election “until further
notice” due to the ABN’s legal actions and an injunction from an Abuja High
Court restraining the NEC from announcing the results.
Under mounting public pressure demanding the release of the
results, two court orders on Thursday, June 17, 1993, reversed the Commission’s
decision. Furthermore, Justice Moshood Olugbani of the Lagos High Court ordered
the NEC to release the results within 24 hours. Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, the
chairman of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), issued an ultimatum, threatening
that if the results were not released within 24 hours, the CD would do so themselves.
On Friday, June 18, 1993, the CD released the election results,
declaring Moshood Abiola as the winner. That same day, Abiola made a televised
declaration of victory.
However, events took a drastic turn on Wednesday, June 23, 1993.
As the results were being posted on a scoreboard outside the NEC building
within its compound, an order came from the election committee to remove the
scoreboard. The committee comprised of NEC Chairman Professor Humphrey Nwosu,
the chief returning officer, resident electoral commissioners, national
commissioners, and representatives of the two political parties. It was later
revealed that there were moles within the NEC who were leaking information to
the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
The instruction to remove the scoreboard originated from the
Villa, indicating a systematic attempt to undermine Nwosu and the NEC. However,
this was only the beginning of a frenzied series of events. Later that day,
Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Dahiru Saleh, declared the
election null and void, purportedly due to the NEC’s disregard for an initial
injunction issued by Bassey Ikpeme to halt the polls. On the same day, the
government announced the cancellation of the elections and the suspension of
the NEC.
The final blow to Nwosu and the NEC, and a clear revelation of
the government’s intentions, came when the warrant and judgment by Justice
Saleh were served on the NEC by the Attorney General, Akpamgbo himself. This
left NEC with no recourse, as the very authority they could have approached to
challenge the decision was now delivering the order against them. Akpamgbo
warned Nwosu that any disobedience would be at his own peril.
Despite the NEC’s Director of Legal Services, Bukhari Bello,
diligently pursuing an appeal, the government’s announcement of the suspension
of the NEC and the transition program rendered any further court action futile.
The fate of the presidential election was sealed, and Nigeria was plunged into
a period of uncertainty and disillusionment. The June 12, 1993, presidential
election, widely regarded as the most credible in Nigerian history, was
annulled, leaving the nation in turmoil and the hopes of millions shattered.
