Honorable Peter Umoh, a former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, has issued a call for General Ibrahim Babangida, the former military head of state, to offer an apology to the Nigerian people for his involvement in the events surrounding the June 12, 1993 presidential election. The election, which was won by MKO Abiola and widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria's history, was controversially annulled by Babangida.
Umoh who’s also a former federal Lawmaker who represented the Oron constituency in the House of Representatives, while reacting to the national broadcast made by President Bola Tinubu to commemorate this year’s democracy day celebration stressed that Babangida should also direct Professor Humphrey Nwosu, who was then Chairman of the National Election Commissíon (NEC) to declare the result of the 1993 election.
He said, “There is a point in giving him (Abiola) national honour, but it is not enough. But I am saying that the Nigeria government would not lose anything if its government directs that the person that was Chairman of the National Electoral Commissíon (NEC) then, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu should formally declare the election result and also get the Head of the military government that did it to formally apologize to Nigerians.
“For Justice’s sake that apology is very, very important. Luckily he (Babangida) is alive. And I take him as one of the greatest leaders we have had in Nigeria.
“And because he didn’t do that alone, he can apologize to Nigerians on behalf of his government for the wrong that his government did so that this thing will be finally laid to rest.
“Luckily, Professor Humphrey Nwosu is there and has published a book containing that election result.
“There is nothing wrong in Government, getting him to formally declare that election result so that all the entitlements that normally would accrue to a former President, former Vice President would immediately be made to accrue to the families”