Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.)

One of the sons of late democracy icon Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, Lekan Abiola, says former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida privately apologised to the family for annulling the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

Speaking at the MKO Abiola Memorial Symposium in Lagos on Thursday, Lekan revealed that the Babangida family has consistently shown gestures of reconciliation over the years — including annual representation at June 12 events.

“We met IBB, and he apologised privately. When he later did so publicly, he only repeated what he had already told us in private,” Lekan told journalists on the sidelines of the event.

The June 12 election — widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll — was annulled by Babangida’s military regime, despite early results indicating MKO Abiola had won by a wide margin.

Lekan Abiola described the apology as symbolic and long overdue, noting that the public acknowledgement has helped erase lingering doubts about his father’s victory.

“It’s like someone punches you in public and apologises in private. That apology should have been public from the beginning,” he said.

He added that Babangida’s release of the official election results further affirmed Abiola’s electoral legitimacy, helping to put the controversy to rest.

Meanwhile, the Abiola family has called on President Bola Tinubu to pass a law officially designating June 12 as Democracy Day, ensuring that the recognition cannot be reversed by future administrations.