June 12: a Presidential Election With Announcement of Results Coming Fifteen Years After

The June 12 presidential election Nigeria held in 1993 willhuman being that a president, like Ibrahim Babangida
precisely go down in the world as the election withwith complete maximum power allowed had all of
results coming after 15 years going by the declarationthese happen behind him? It is even more despicable
of the umpire, Prof Humphrey Nwosu fifteen yearsto reason that a president who bore, owned and
after the presidential elections were held. The electionnurtured the then two political parties would go to sleep
would go down in history as that which one of theand allow the election to die, after instructing the same
candidates also deemed the acclaimed winner lost hisHumphrey Nwosu to stop announcing the results and
life fighting to claim his mandate even in a mysteriouswho consequently go ahead to declare the annulment
circumstance. Not only that, the election also willof the election, with fearful, and threatening attitude
be found on the pages of Guinness Book of Recordswhich denied the perceived winner the opportunity to
as the election which saw a High Court located in theclaim his mandate. This is even worse when we
capital of the country sitting in the midnight just to seeremember that the same president was to hand over
to the annulment of the election in yet a mysteriousto another Yoruba man who was to step aside in yet
circumstance.another circumstances not known to Nigerians. We
Âhope that the then interim president will one day come
This particular election could also go down in theout to tell us how it happened maybe after writing his
history of the country as the freest and fairest electionown book.
ever held in Nigeria, and election that forced the thenÂ
military president and Commander in Chief of ArmedHumphrey Nwosu would heap all the blames on
Forces to compulsorily step aside. This is June 12people of Northern extraction except perhaps Clement
election an election that observes a public holiday inAkpamgbo. Is he telling us that no one Yoruba or
Nigeria, which today is the most popular election in thepeople from other regions of the country were
country today.involved? Even a baby a child in 1993 would have
Âpatiently listened to unfortunate comments coming
In Nigeria, today "June 12" unarguably means, "thatfrom people at that time. If this child were to gather
which is a forgotten issue" among the youths. "June 12"these comments and conduct his research, such a
means different things to different people in thischild would positively arrive at a result better than what
country but for Prof Humphrey Nwosu it meant a timeNwosu has told us and expects us to believe. In
to perhaps clear the name of his mentor, IbrahimNwosu declaration of how everything went, nothing
Babangida or saw I perceive it.was heard of M. K. O. Abiola's running mate who was
Âto later accept a position in the new government,
Âwhich replaced the said winner while he was
What is further surprising to all those who also tooklanguishing in jail.
fifteen years to await the declaration of the winner ofÂ
that presidential result is why it took the NEC chairman,In the ceremony to unveil the Book which he (Nwosu)
Prof Humphrey Nwosu fifteen years to announce thepublished virtually all the key actors in the nations's
winner of that election in the person of Chief M. K. O.political scene during and after the annulled election
Abiola (now Late) or can a dead man ever claim hiswere slated for one position or the position, including
mandate? But of more astonishing is theIbrahim Babangida, the key player as the guest of
exoneration of the then Military PresidentÂhonour; Chief Ernest Shonekan, slated to chair the
Âevent and Gen Theophilus Danjuma (Rtd) billed to be
Hear him:the Chief launcher. Only Babangida would send a
Ârepresentative in the person of Brig. Gen. Halilu Akilu
"The greatest support and strength I received was(Rtd.) another key player fingered by Nwosu himself.
from the President (Babangida). He exhibited theOne wonders what the Prof was seeking to achieve.
strongest political will and provided adequate financialÂ
and moral support that sustained me throughout myTwo arrowheads named by Prof Humphrey Nwosu
tenure as chairman of NEC," With this development,as those behind the infamous annulment have
one is bound to see some complicity in all of it.however defended themselves in separate reactions,
Âexonerating themselves.
How can Humphrey Nwosu convince a rationale