The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has commended former Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd) for admitting that the late Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993 election.
Babangida made the admission during the launch of his autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service’, where he described the annulment of the election as “an accident of history” and accepted full responsibility for the decision.
Obi, who attended the event, praised Babangida’s contributions to Nigeria’s economy and his support for entrepreneurship and private sector growth. He noted that under Babangida’s leadership, Nigeria experienced substantial growth, particularly in the financial sector.
However, Obi also highlighted the country’s current challenges, citing the keynote speaker’s comment that “nothing much has changed” in Nigeria since Babangida’s era. Obi noted that countries like Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, and Ghana have advanced to medium and high Human Development Index (HDI) levels, while Nigeria remains in the low HDI category.
Obi expressed hope that other key players in Nigeria’s democracy will find the courage to recognize the true winners of past elections, allowing the nation to tell its story with honesty and reflection.