The family of Late Gen. Sani Abacha has said that the decision of former military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to blame their father for the annulment of June 12 presidential election shows that he lacked integrity and honesty.
The family made this known in a statement issued Sunday by Mohammed Abacha while reacting to recent claims made by Babangida, in his newly launched book, “A Journey in Service”, where he alleged that the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election was the responsibility of Abacha.
He noted: “The decision to annul the election was made under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, who, as the then Head of State, held absolute executive powers and was solely responsible for the actions of his government.
“Any attempt to shift this blame onto General Sani Abacha, who was a very senior military officer within the regime, is a deliberate distortion of historical facts.”
“We regret that “A Journey in Service” missed the opportunity and failed to make history as a truthful and objective account of past events. As one public commentator aptly put it, honesty, sincerity, and integrity are virtues not commonly associated with the author.”
Abacha stressed that for years, various actors have attempted to rewrite the history of that critical period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution, however, the facts remain unchanged.
He urged Nigerians to be wary of revisionist narratives that seek to manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons.
Abacha added that the memory of their late father and leader must not be tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible.
He maintained that despite the unfortunate attempt to shift blame, Abacha remained a true and loyal friend to Babangida up to the time of his death.
Abacha stressed that his father was a man of unwavering commitment to his comrades, adding that at the time Babangida’s life was under threat, it was the late general who came to his rescue, ensuring his safety.
He said: “It is important to state unequivocally that General Sani Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time the June 12 election was annulled.”