Family of late Head of State, Gen. Sani
Abacha (rtd) has cautioned former Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida
against tarnishing the image of the former military leader.
A statement on Sunday by Mohammed Abacha, the Abacha
family noted that Gen. Babangida had in his recent book titled, “A Journey in
Service” alleged that the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election
“was the responsibility of the late General Sani Abacha.”
Abacha’s family said the claim sparked widespread
controversy and necessitate a clear response in the interest of historical
accuracy and justice.
The statement which described the allegation as false,
said, “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. For years, various actors have attempted to rewrite the
history of that critical period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.”
The family in the statement argued that Gen. Abacha
was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time the June
12 election was annulled, saying, “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.”
Abacha’s family also urged Nigerians to be “wary of
revisionist narratives that seek to manipulate public perception for personal
or political reasons”, stressing that “The memory of our late father and
leader, General Sani Abacha, must not be tarnished by baseless accusations
meant to absolve those who were truly responsible.”
On how Gen. Abacha saved Gen. Babangida, Abacha’s
family said, “We also find it necessary to state that at the time General
Babangida’s life was under threat, it was General Abacha who came to his
rescue, ensuring his safety.”
“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.”
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