Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC-Abia) has called on President Bola Tinubu to formally recognize the late Chief MKO Abiola as one of Nigeria’s former presidents. Kalu, who chairs the Senate Committee on Privatisation, made the appeal during a press briefing at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The senator’s call comes in light of recent revelations by former military president, retired General Ibrahim Babangida, who admitted in his memoirs that Abiola indeed won the June 12, 1993, presidential election. The election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history, was annulled, leading to widespread controversy and political unrest.
Kalu emphasized that with Babangida’s acknowledgment, the controversy surrounding the election has been laid to rest. He urged President Tinubu to take the necessary steps to honor Abiola’s legacy.
“Yes, Abiola won the election, and there’s no doubt about that. I would like them to put Abiola’s picture where other presidents’ pictures are. I will appeal to President Tinubu to swear him in posthumously and also allow his picture to be displayed alongside those of former Nigerian presidents,” Kalu stated.
He also expressed gratitude to former President Muhammadu Buhari for awarding Abiola a national honor, adding that posthumously recognizing him as a former president would bring further comfort to his family.
When questioned about whether Babangida’s memoirs addressed all the controversies of his eight-year military rule, Kalu described the book as incomplete. He suggested that the former military president should release a second volume to address unanswered questions, particularly those surrounding the June 12 election.
“I look forward to the second edition of Babangida’s book because the first did not reveal all the realities,” Kalu remarked.
The senator also used the opportunity to appeal to Nigerians to support President Tinubu’s potential re-election in 2027. He emphasized the need for continuity and consolidation of ongoing reforms.
“We are appealing to the Nigerian people to give President Tinubu a chance to return in 2027. Many presidents in Nigeria who have not done very well have won their second term. We are not going to ruffle ourselves in the APC convention. We have only one presidential candidate, which is Bola Tinubu. We are not looking for any other person,” Kalu said.
He acknowledged the current economic challenges but stressed the importance of staying the course with ongoing reforms. “The problem of Nigeria is some people not wanting to consolidate the gains of reform. It may be very difficult today, very hard today. People are complaining, but the reform is trickling down,” he added.
