Tinubu rubbishes Lamido over June 12 claim, says ex- gov envious of his democratic credentials

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday dismissed allegations made by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, who accused him of supporting the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, describing the claims as false and a distortion of historical events.

In a strongly worded statement titled “Setting the Record Straight: President Tinubu’s Role in the June 12 Struggle,” presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said Lamido’s remarks, made during a live television appearance, amounted to “a regrettable attempt at revisionism.”

“The attention of the Presidency has been drawn to recent comments made by Alhaji Sule Lamido, former Governor of Jigawa State, on live television, in which he falsely accused President Bola Tinubu of supporting the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election,” the statement read.

“Alhaji Lamido’s claims represent a distortion of history and a regrettable attempt at revisionism. He alleged that President Tinubu only rose to prominence after the formation of NADECO and claimed that Tinubu’s mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, mobilised market women to back the annulment. These allegations are patently false.”

Onanuga defended Tinubu’s long-standing record in the pro-democracy struggle, saying neither he nor his family supported the annulment. He challenged Lamido’s credibility, accusing him and other leaders of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) of surrendering to the military regime that voided MKO Abiola’s electoral mandate.

“It is important to remind Nigerians that Alhaji Lamido, as secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)… was among those who failed to oppose the military’s injustice,” Onanuga stated. “The SDP leadership, including Lamido and chairman Tony Anenih, wrote their names in the book of infamy by surrendering the people’s mandate without resistance.”

He contrasted this with Tinubu’s actions at the time, including his condemnation of the annulment on the floor of the Senate in August 1993.

“We have a situation that suggests that the abortion of the June 12 election is another coup d’etat,” Tinubu was quoted as saying. “My question is, when are we going to stop tolerating injustices, coup d’etat and abuse by the people on whom we invested so much resources—the public funds of this country?… This is a self-inflicted crisis because, without the abortion or annulment of the June 12 election, there would be no crisis like this.”

The statement recounted Tinubu’s opposition to the regime of General Sani Abacha, his subsequent arrest and detention, and his five-year exile during which he continued to support the pro-democracy movement financially and strategically.

It also chronicled the formation of NADECO and Tinubu’s role in the coalition, including collaboration with Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and other exiled activists. The Presidency accused Lamido of attempting to rewrite history for political reasons and described his comments as part of a broader pattern of revisionism among certain political figures.

“It is thus disappointing that Alhaji Lamido, despite acknowledging Tinubu’s NADECO role, would attempt to rewrite history for political reasons and being a member of the Coalition of the Disgruntled,” Onanuga said.

“We do not want to believe that Alhaji Lamido suffers from what psychologists call tall poppy syndrome. However, the conclusion is inevitable as it appears that Lamido is envious of Tinubu’s democratic credentials.”

The statement reaffirmed Tinubu’s position as a “steadfast advocate for democracy” and contrasted it with the alleged inaction of others during Nigeria’s political crisis in the 1990s.