Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, spokesperson of the PDP National Youth Group, has criticised former Military President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), fol blaming late General Sani Abacha over the outcome of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
TimesNow.com.ng reported that Babangida (IBB) also narrated how late General Sani Abacha, plotted to violently overthrow him and kill Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.
Babangida said Abacha had a deep-seated hatred for Abiola and would have used his forces to kill him.
In an exclusive interview with TimesNow.com.ng on Sunday, February 23, Dare Akinniyi described Babangida’s revelation as “a subtle prayer of forgiveness to God.”
According to him, Babangida is pointing fingers and yet not taking full responsibility for his actions in 1993.
Buttressing his point, Akinniyi urged Babangida to be bold enough to name those responsible for the annulment and not accuse the Abacha-led government.
Akinniyi said:
Additionally, Akinniyi, maintained that it is not clear why Babangida decided to reveal the truth about the June 12 election at this critical time, thirty-two years after, however, he owed Nigerians the truth.
Recall that Abacha’s children reacted to former military president Ibrahim Babangidaâs claims that their father played a major role in the annulment of the June 12 election.
IBB launched a book, A Journey in Service, on Thursday, February 20, 2025, where he described the annulment as an âaccident of historyâ and claimed he was not directly responsible for the announcement that invalidated the election, he claimed Abiola won.
In an interview with TimesNow.com.ng on Sunday, Akinniyi described Babangida’s revelation as “a subtle prayer of forgiveness to God.”
According to him, Babangida is pointing fingers and yet not taking full responsibility for his actions in 1993.
However, he maintained that Abacha’s children have no knowledge of their father’s involvement, hence, they should stop defending him.
The analyst further compared the public reaction to Abachaâs death in 1998 to the jubilation that followed Nigeriaâs victory at the Atlanta â96 Olympics, highlighting the deep resentment many Nigerians held toward the late dictator.
Akinniyi told TimesNow.com.ng that:
Meanwhile, Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, in an interview with TimesNow.com.ng on Sunday, warned that Babangidaâs confessions about June 12 will discourage Nigerians from voting in future election.
According to him, it will damage the trust in a democratic system of government.
Read more about Babangida:
Previously, TimesNow.com.ng reported that former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has denied any role in the assassination of veteran journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch, Dele Giwa, who was killed by a parcel bomb on October 19, 1986.
