Eleven years after assuring Nigerians that he would open up on the death of Chief MKO Abiola’s death while in the custody of the Federal Government, a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar has now done so.
Abiola, acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, died in the custody of the federal government when Abubakar was in the saddle as Head of State.
He died twenty four years ago (1998) after taking ill in a controversial circumstance that had the US connection insinuated into it.
Abubakar said that MKO Abiola was not killed. He spoke in an interview with Trust TV.
The former Head of State said that this fact was contrary to insinuations that Abiola took tea that was allegedly poisoned before he passed on.
“Well, I smile because there were lots of allegations here and there that we killed Abiola.
“As always when I am talking about the late Abiola, I still thank God for directing me on things to do when he gave me the leadership of this country.
“On the day Moshood Abiola passed away; may he rest in peace, two to three things made me always say I thank God for the guidance He gave me.
“I received a delegation from America headed by Pickering who was then the Secretary of State or so and the team also had Susan Rice.”
According to him, after the normal courtesies and discussions, when the delegation was about leaving his office, Pickering said: “Your Excellency, we made a request to see Moshood Abiola but we were denied”.
“So I said ‘Why were you denied? who denied you?’ There and then I made a decision. I said ‘Look, you will see Moshood definitely. I overrule whoever said you cannot see him’.
“So I now called my Chief Security Officer. I said ‘Please make arrangements for this team to see Abiola’ That is one point.”
He said that during the incarceration of Moshood Abiola, except his personal doctor, to his knowledge, no member of his family saw him.
He said that when he became Head of State, based on consultations and interactions together with Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, he gave the family a date that they could come and see him.
He said that a day before he died, his family came to Abuja to see him, stressing that for one reason or the other, the whole family could not see him at the same time.
“So it was agreed that when this group of his family will see him today, tomorrow the next team will see him.
“So they saw him like yesterday. Now this team from US came to see me and I said they could see him. Normally it was in the evenings the family go and see him.
“So because I had authorized the American team to see him, the other part of the family were waiting to see him.”
Abubakar continued: “it was at this meeting when the American team was meeting Abiola that he fell sick and suddenly the security officers called the medical team to come and attend to him.”
He pointed out that when they saw the situation, they said it was severe and they needed to take him to the medical centre.
He explained that it was the medical team and the American team that took him to the medical centre.
According to him: “Unfortunately, at the medical centre, he gave up the ghost.”
General Abdulsalam Abubakar further explained that it was then his Security Chief who called and said: “I have bad news for you”.
“I asked what it was and he said: ‘Abiola is dead’. I was shocked.”
Gen. Abubakar stated that his security chief told him that he was there with the American team.
He said at that time, he (former head of state) was staying in the barracks and had yet to move to the villa.
Read him: “So, I said okay, let him take the American team to my house. I will meet them at the house; so I closed from the office, and went there.”
The former Head of State stated that the issue was how would he break the news to Abiola’s family and how his government would tell the world Abiola had passed.
He said that he must be thankful to God and again to Ambassador Kingibe because they called on him and asked him to bring the family of Abiola and when they came, he broke the news.
Abubakar’s disclosures came eleven years after he had vowed that he would one day speak on Abiola’s death.
In a Vanguard newspaper report of September 2, 2011
General Abubakar had promised to give full details of activities leading to the death of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola.
The election for which Abiola died was annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida’s administration.
Abubakar had said on 2011 that the time was not ripe for disclosures about the death of Abiola.
He had spoken to newsmen in Minna at the Eid-el-Fitri praying ground, Minna, Niger State, after rhe prayers.
He was reacting to allegations levelled against him by the former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, that his administration (Abubakar’s) colluded with the United States government to kill Chief Abiola, after the death of his principal; Abacha, as a way of ‘’balancing the equation.’’
General Abubakar had said: “It is not yet time to react. I will not make any comment now; it is political.
“‘’When a General prepares for a battle, he makes programmes and plans and my plan is still on and it will be unfolded and made known at the right time; please wait for that time.”
He had pleaded for understanding from reporters, saying that he would open up on the issue at the appropriate time, even as he had politely declined to answer further questions on the issue.
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