The Presidency rebuts Sule Lamido’s claims about Tinubu and the June 12 annulment, insisting the president remained loyal to democracy throughout the crisis

Tinubu June 12 controversy dismissed by the Presidency as misinformation, following recent claims by former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido.

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Lamido had suggested that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu supported the annulment of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election, but the Presidency has issued a strong denial.

In a statement titled “Setting the Record Straight”, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Lamido’s remarks as “a regrettable attempt at revisionism” and outrightly false.

He firmly stated that both Tinubu and his late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, stood on the side of justice during the annulment saga.

Onanuga clarified that Alhaja Mogaji, then a respected Lagos market leader, never rallied support for the annulment. “Had she done so, she would have lost her position as market leader in Lagos,” he pointed out, stressing that her cordial relationship with then-President Ibrahim Babangida had nothing to do with the crisis.

Turning to Sule Lamido’s own role, Onanuga accused him of betraying the people’s will during the election impasse. He noted that Lamido, as secretary of the Social Democratic Party, failed to confront the military following MKO Abiola’s unjust defeat. “Lamido and then-SDP chairman Tony Anenih capitulated and betrayed the people’s mandate,” he said.

By contrast, Tinubu, then a senator, delivered a historic speech on 19 August 1993, accusing the military of orchestrating a coup against democracy.

Onanuga recalled that Tinubu later became a target of the military junta, facing detention for defying General Sani Abacha’s regime. “Tinubu continued to back the struggle, even in exile,” he noted.

The Presidency revealed that Tinubu funded pro-democracy protests while in hiding and that his home in Victoria Island was bombed by junta agents. He also provided financial and strategic support to NADECO and NALICON, both active in resisting military rule.

Onanuga suggested that Lamido’s accusations may stem from political envy. “We do not want to believe that Alhaji Lamido suffers from tall poppy syndrome. But it appears he is envious of Tinubu’s democratic credentials,” he said.

He urged the former governor to seek accurate historical information before going public. “Revisionism does not serve the cause of truth or our nation’s interest. President Tinubu remains a steadfast advocate for democracy, unlike those who cowered before military oppression.”

The June 12 election, which saw Chief MKO Abiola emerge victorious, is widely regarded as Nigeria’s fairest vote. Its annulment sparked widespread unrest and years of activism.

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The Presidency’s statement aims to reinforce Tinubu’s enduring legacy as a central figure in the fight for democratic freedom.