The SNF noted that Babangida’s “iniquities are well preserved” and the former Head of State should not think Nigerians have a short memory.
A socio-political group, Southern Nigeria Frontier, has asked former Head of State, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) to apologise to Nigerians over the annulment of the June 12, 193 presidential elections rather than trying to distort history.
The SNF noted that Babangida’s “iniquities are well preserved” and the former Head of State should not think Nigerians have a short memory.
The southern group stated these in a release signed by its spokesman, Olufemi Lawson, and obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday.
Earlier today, Babangida during an interview with AriseTV had claimed that he annulled the 1993 election in order to avert a coup and to prevent violence in the country – an election which was won by renowned philanthropist and politician, Chief MKO Abiola.
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The NSF said, “Our reaction is pertinent to dismiss Babangida's reason for the annulment of the June 12 Presidential election, for the sake of posterity and unsuspecting Nigerians, particularly the younger generation, who IBB is out to manipulate, with his incorrect historical claim.
“It is very disturbing, that despite the acknowledgement of the clean victory of Chief MKO Abiola as the winner of the election, adjudged to be the freest and fairest in our history, by local and international stakeholders, General Babangida still lives in his lies of the past, that the annulment of the election was to avert violence and a bloody coup in the country.
“We insist, that if there would have been any violence aftermath of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, it must have been one that would have been orchestrated by the evil genius himself, and not any right thinking group of Nigerians, including the Nigerian military, which Babangida is using his old age, to blackmail.
“SNF wishes to sound it clear to General Babangida, that despite his attempt to distort the history of June 12 Presidential election, the decision of his regime to annul the election will forever remain his Nemesis.
“We must let General Babangida know, that the memory of our people, is not as short as he thinks, as his iniquities have been well preserved.
“We shall not cease to ask, until a genuine answer is given, as to why Babangida annulled the June elections won by Bashorun M.K.O Abiola and the attendant crises which consumed the lives of Chief Abiola and his wife Kudirat, Pa Alfred Rewane, and hundreds of protesters mowed down on the streets of Lagos and other cities.
“General Babangida must apologise and assuage the feelings of the aggrieved Nigerians, whose mandate he truncated with the annulment of the June 12 Presidential election.”