The much-publicized monthly interview discourse, Boiling Point Arena, on Sunday night, turned out an explosive session which drew out the angst of discussants who gave reflections over the intrigues, power play and conspiracies leading to the annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election.
On the podium as discussants were a retired former Chief of Defence Training, Operations and Plans, Gen. Ishola Williams, prominent journalist and politician, Senator Babafemi Ojudu and Mr Jamiu Abiola, one of the children of the late Chief MKO Abiola.
Their description of the entire June 12 Saga which many believe truncated the destiny of the Nigerian nation, was summarized thus: “It was all a game of deceit well scripted”.
Responding to a question during the interaction, Senator Ojudu is of the opinion that the mastermind of the June 12 crisis, former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida must not go scot free, saying he and his cohorts should face consequences for their actions.
Hear Ojudu: “It is about time that Civil Society Groups take the case to the International Court of Justice to try a lot of these people for genocide. Over hundred thousands of people died in the process.
“Whatever it is that will give justice to people who lost their lives or were brutalized is acceptable by me.
“Based on the confessions by Babangida, what we need to do in the immediate is for CSOs to get a good lawyer to file a class action on behalf of all of us who are victims of the annulment like the Abiola family, journalists, protesters on the street and people who were arrested and locked up.”
Ojudu said the sad part of Nigeria’s leadership crisis is that the crop of leaders both past and present see politics only as a game, and in which the people don’t matter at all.
“Babangida once said it to me that all of this is a game, that they are playing games. Awolowo was asked this question whether he thinks politics is a game and he said politics for him cannot be a game but a serious matter because lives of millions of people are involved”, he stressed.
Also providing insights into what transpired before and aftermath of the June 12 election annulment, Gen. Ishola Williams blamed over-ambition and lack of sincerity on the part of Babangida and several of his cohorts who felt everybody could be rail-roaded into using them to pursue their agenda which they do with impunity.
Gen. Williams said: “If I have to be very honest, I must say even at that time, there were officers like me whose only goal is what and what could be done to bring Nigeria back on its feet, even though I wasn’t optimistic that could be achieved. But I was ready to use that process to get the military to participate in the effort to get the military out of power in Nigeria.
“But the political manoeuverings being orchestrated by Babangida banning political parties and banning some people were not a good foundation for any political development for any country. It was all a game made in a confused fashion to create confusion. With this, there was no way anybody could have been able to build any solid progress on that.”
Speaking in the same light, Jamiu Abiola lamented over the needless torture and agony that the MKO Abiola family was made to go through the during the debacle.
To him, Abiola was not deceived by the machinations of both Gen. Babangida and Gen. Abacha before and aftermath of the election annulment, even though he conceded that the grand evil design by his tormentors was indeed overwhelming.
Jamiu stated: “Let me tell you, things got to the point that my father knew that it was a game that was being played. He knew they were not going to allow him to contest the election except by a fight and he also knew he wasn’t going to be given the mandate just like that but he was ready to fight it all through which he quite did.
“You see, my father knew their game. The game was already on from the beginning but my father couldn’t do anything because the thing was more powerful than him. My consolation is the conviction that my father is in a better place in heaven. To me, that is a triumph for him ultimately.”
The topic of the discourse was: “June 12: The Babangida Apologia and Opening of Old Wounds and What Consequences to Follow, if any”.
The programme, Boiling Point Arena, is the brainchild of a media professional and public relations strategist, Dr Ayo Arowojolu.
Frontline traditional ruler, the Olówu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Prof Saka Matemilola, who was the keynote Speaker at the discourse, urged Nigerians to make deep introspection of the past in order to make the future better.
The interview held via Zoom and was broadcast live on five radio stations including WASH 94.9FM, Sweet 107.1FM, Roots 97.1FM, Ẹrí-Nbe 92.1FM and Women Radio 91.7FM
