The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has strongly rejected attempts by former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), to absolve himself of responsibility for the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
In a statement released on Sunday, February 23, 2025, MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, criticized Babangida’s claims in his newly launched memoir, A Journey In Service, where he blamed the late General Sani Abacha for the election fiasco.
The book, launched on February 20, 2025, at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, describes the annulment as an “accident of history,” with Babangida expressing regret over the decision.
He claimed that Abacha, then Chief of Defence Staff, led the opposition against the June 12 election, forcing his hand.
However, MURIC dismissed Babangida’s account as an attempt to rewrite history.
“We totally reject all attempts by the former military dictator to exonerate himself. The buck stops at IBB’s table,” the statement read.
MURIC accused Babangida of destroying Nigeria’s democratic foundation by annulling what was widely regarded as the country’s freest and fairest election, won by the late Chief MKO Abiola.
The group also condemned the fanfare surrounding Babangida’s book launch, calling it “a disgraceful celebration of impunity.”
“It was a sad day for patriotic Nigerians. A dictator responsible for the death of democracy was being hero-worshipped,” the statement continued.
MURIC further accused Babangida’s regime of plunging Nigeria into a cycle of instability, listing human rights abuses, political assassinations, and the wrongful detention of opposition figures as part of his legacy.
The group concluded by honouring late pro-democracy heroes such as MKO Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, and Alfred Rewane while calling on Nigerians never to forget the injustice of June 12.
