In a revealing account from his recently published autobiography, Being True To Myself, former Jigawa State governor and founding Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member Sule Lamido has shared how the late Chief Bola Ige openly challenged northern political leaders over their sincerity in opposing General Sani Abacha’s military regime.
Lamido’s memoir, unveiled on May 13, chronicles the intense political dynamics of the 1990s, focusing on early efforts to unite Nigeria’s fragmented opposition against the Abacha dictatorship. He detailed a pivotal moment at a meeting of the original G9—a group of prominent politicians tasked with creating a unified platform that eventually led to the formation of the PDP.
According to Lamido, the G9 included well-known figures such as former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, Senator Francis Ellah, and himself. The group regularly convened at 9 Raymond Njoku Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, to strategize after their political parties were denied official registration by the Abacha government.
It was during one such meeting that Bola Ige reportedly interrupted a discussion and issued a sharp critique directly at the northern members. Lamido quoted Ige saying:
“Look, Sule, before going into details about this G9… your collective position on many issues within the last few years has revealed that the North responds as one entity. The North has an agenda and, therefore… I don’t trust you. You are trying to use us to create a kind of moral force, a national momentum, but you have a private agenda behind it. Otherwise, if you want me to believe you, go back to the North and create a fresh group to challenge Abacha’s military government. Only if you do that will I believe you.”
Lamido admitted the northern group accepted the challenge, replying, “We agree, you are right.”
This moment underscored the deep mistrust that existed amid Nigeria’s political elite, especially given the perception that Abacha’s regime symbolized northern dominance, causing skepticism about whether northern politicians genuinely opposed the dictatorship.
In response, the northern members of the G9 returned home to establish their own pressure group focused on challenging Abacha’s military rule. This coalition included respected figures such as university lecturer Dr. Usman Bugaje and retired Colonel Dangiwa Umar.
Despite the formation of this new group, some influential northern leaders, including former Kaduna State governor Balarabe Musa and Chief Sunday Awoniyi, reportedly declined to join the movement, illustrating the fragmented nature of political resistance at the time.
Lamido’s account sheds light on the complexities and internal frictions within Nigeria’s pro-democracy movements in the 1990s. It also highlights Bola Ige’s role as a vocal critic and an advocate for genuine political unity, unafraid to call out what he perceived as hidden agendas even within opposition ranks.
Today, the reflections in Being True To Myself provide important historical insights into Nigeria’s political struggles and the foundation of one of its major political parties, the PDP.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with political trust and unity issues, revisiting such moments from history offers lessons on the importance of transparency, sincerity, and collective commitment in nation-building.
Chief Bola Ige was a prominent Nigerian lawyer and politician, renowned for his principled stands on governance and justice before his untimely assassination in 2001. The Abacha era, spanning 1993 to 1998, was marked by political repression, and opposition leaders like those in the G9 faced immense challenges in mounting resistance.
The formation of the PDP in 1998 signaled a significant turning point in Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999. Sule Lamido, a key founding member of the party, served as governor of Jigawa State and remains influential in Nigerian politics.