Nigeria's Aborted 3Rd Republic and the June 12 Debacle: Reporters' Account

By Xlibris US

Let's be clear. “Nigeria's Aborted 3rd Republic and The June 12 Debacle: Reporters' Account” is by no means a definitive account of the controversial transition to civil rule programme of General Babangida or for that matter, that of the annulled June 12 presidential election. But it is a fascinating collection that reminds us about the forces that shaped the past and may be responsible for Nigeria’s present dilemma.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669816621

Book preview

Nigeria’s Aborted 3rd Republic

and The June 12 Debacle:

Reporters’ Account

Edited By

Deba Uwadiae

Emeka Nwosu, PhD

Segun Olanipekun, PhD

Abiodun Adeniyi, PhD

Copyright © 2022 by Deba Uwadiae.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 03/31/2022

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

841073

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

SECTION 1. NAPOC AT THE BEGINNING

NAPOC: How It All Began

By Gbenga Onayiga

NAPOC And The Babangida Political Transition Programme

By Emeka Nwosu, PhD.

National Electoral Commission

By Deba Uwadiae

1993 Transition To Nowhere!

By Mikail Mumuni

MAMSER, CDS And Political Engineering In The Third Republic

By Sufuyan Ojeifo

SECTION 2. INTRIGUES

Reporting For Radio - Politics, Political Parties, Campaigns And Elections

By Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Ph.D

PSP, PFN, And Kingibe’s Emergence As SDP Chair

By Felix Oboagwina

Ideological Conflict As NRC Stormed Kaduna

By Gboyega Amoboye

Chief MKO Abiola’s Last Public Outing

By Bosun Oluwabusayomi

Coverage Of Presidential Election and Hope ‘93

By Omooba Bisi Onanuga

How MKO Won The SDP Primary Election in Jos

By Kunle Oyatomi

MKO Abiola’s Only Regret

By Yemisi Fadairo

When Rebellion Turned Victory: The Story of A Historic Abracadabra In Nigeria’s Politics

By Sina Ogunbambo

The Aftermath Of June 12: Rumours/Fake News Versus Professionalism

By Isa Husaini

Notes On June 12, 1993

By Chuks Ohuegbe, Osaretin Imahiyereobo, Gboyega Amoboye, Olusegun Adeniyi And Orji Ogbonnaya Orji

SECTION 3. INTERVENTIONS

June 12 Stalemate At Appeal Court

By Lawal Ogienagbon

The Day Abiola Returned From His Impromptu Flight Abroad

By Felix Oboagwina

LETTER: What MKO Abiola Told Gani Fawehinmi Two Days Before He Was Allegedly Killed

How Court Overruled Babangida Over June 12 And Interim Government

By Idowu John Bakare

SECTION 4. INTERVIEWS

Intrigues Of MKO Abiola’s Emergence As SDP Presidential Candidate - Barrister Oladosu Oladipo

By Akin Onipede and Bosun Oluwabusayomi

Jubril Hanidu, Chairman Of The Lagos State Social Democratic Party (SDP) Caretaker Committee

Interviewed by Bola Ojuola

We Embraced Guerrilla Journalism - Bayo Onanuga, Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of PMNews, TheNews, Tempo Magazine Of The June 12 Era

Interviewed By Stella Benjamin

Militant Press Helped NUPENG And Civil Society Against Military Over June 12; But I Am Heartbroken - Comrade Frank Kokori

By Felix Oboagwina

NADECO, Radio Kudirat And Our Regrets - Bola Tinubu

By Bosun Oluwabusayomi and Gboyega Amoboye

SECTION 5. RETROSPECTION

Watching The Count: Coverage of The Election Umpires

By Chief Mrs Moni Abudu (neé Adebayo)

NAPOC Campaign Coverage: The Gaps in My Notepad

By Segun Olanipekun, PhD

We Failed to Scrutinize Documents And Actors of The Transition

By Akin A. Onipede

Form And Substance: The Operational Scopes of the Political Journalist of Yore

By Abiodun Adeniyi

June 12 For Me

By Cordelia (Nwulu) Ukwuoma

Top News Sources Of June 12 Era

By Ike Abonyi

A Glimpse Into The Fourth Republic

By Jide Ajani

Unforgettable, Our Fallen Colleagues

By Felix Oboagwina

Foreword

The implementation of the Transition to Civil Rule Political Programme of the military government of President Ibrahim Babangida (1987-1993) took off amidst a myriad of criticisms by Nigerians. While many had cause to doubt the sincerity of the military to relinquish power, the elite loathed the transition programme for its mechanical, rigid, and over-regulated design. The Decrees promulgated to regulate the process were not only circumlocutory as they amended and or annulled one another, they were also scattered in several government gazettes and other sources making it difficult for people to obtain them so as to easily follow the process. It was against this backdrop that the then National Electoral Commission (NEC) which had the combined mandate to conduct elections and also midwife the entire transition programme took steps to simplify the process. She decided to launch a vibrant voter education initiative which began with a compilation of all the laws, regulations, and other relevant materials in one publication to be distributed across Nigeria. The first recipient of the publication was the media represented by its select political correspondents covering elections in the country.

To give flesh to the publication, titled Laws and Materials on Nigeria’s Electoral Process (1987-1990), the Commission organized a workshop for the media correspondents from April 4th to 6th 1990 in Abeokuta, Ogun state at the instance of this writer who at the time was the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs. One of the objectives of the workshop was to create an avenue for subjecting items in the publication to thorough analysis by well-informed resource persons. The workshop was therefore largely influenced by the desire of the electoral body to throw ample light on the processes and procedures of events lined up in the transition programme. Part of the memorable features of the conference was the opportunity the gathering offered to the participants to formalize their desire for the formation of the National Association of Political Correspondents (NAPOC).

I can testify that the Abeokuta conference was a turning point in the coverage of politics and elections in Nigeria. NAPOC from then on, evolved a robust channel for voter education in the country as its members adopted a specialized approach to the simultaneous dissemination and management of Nigeria’s electoral information. They covered NEC’s activities copiously especially the Local Government elections in December 1987(on non-party basis) and another on party basis in December 1990, elections into state legislative and executive bodies in December 1991, the National Assembly elections in July 1992 and the Presidential elections on June 12, 1993. In all the events, NAPOC members criticized us constructively and were adversarial where necessary thereby creating an overwhelming public awareness on politics and elections which put both NEC and the military government of the time on their toes. Little wonder that most Nigerians were involuntarily mobilized to react sharply to the manipulation of the last segment of the events, the June 12, 1993, contest.

When that contest which was internationally recognized as Nigeria’s freest and fairest election was annulled, the media provided the other side to the official narratives. They educated the nation and the world at large that at the point of the annulment, one candidate had led by a wide margin in 29 out of the then 30 states of the federation that had been collated and signed adding that the annulment was merely to pre-empt the announcement of the winner because the outstanding figures of the only state yet to be declared - Taraba - could not adversely affect the wishes of the people. The claim that the military would not welcome an Abiola Presidency was also countered by their revelation that Candidate Moshood Abiola won in virtually all the polling stations in all the military barracks in the country. This helped to energize public preference for unofficial sources such as the book The tale of June 12. The Betrayal of the Democratic Rights of Nigeria 1993 written by then Director General of one of the transition agencies – the Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS), Professor Omo Omoruyi. Omoruyi (now late) had revealed that the real reasons for the annulment were different from the official version.

From the above, why the June 12, 1993, presidential contest has gone down in history as an epochal event in Nigeria is explicable and finding a book that encapsulates all the things that happened during the period is certainly a great development. Indeed, this book, Nigeria’s Aborted 3rd Republic And The June 12 Debacle: Reporters’ Account comes in as a fresh addition to research efforts aimed at getting an authentic record of what actually transpired before, during and after the election. As a compilation by eyewitnesses - media correspondents attached to political institutions such as the Electoral Commission and the political parties, the compilation is uniquely authoritative. For this and other sundry reasons, I consider the book extremely momentous, especially for its capacity to illuminate the real nature of political contestations in Nigeria. I therefore highly recommend the book to politicians, historians, political scientists, and all other interest groups who are desirous of comprehending politics and elections in Nigeria’s heterogeneous landscape.

Professor, Tonnie O. Iredia PhD, OON, fnge, fnipr, fnim, fspsp.

Abuja

January 31, 2022.

Introduction

When Reporters Go Down Memory Lane

By Olusegun Adeniyi

Following the death in October 2019 of Tunji Olawuni (a former Vanguard Newspaper political reporter), Bosun Oluwabusayomi (formerly Odedina) cobbled together the mobile numbers of many journalists who covered the political transition programme of General Ibrahim Babangida. The idea was for us to make token contributions to support the burial of our deceased former colleague and friend. Somewhere along the line, the platform became a forum to reminisce on momentous events that culminated in the formation of the National Association of Political Correspondents (NAPOC) in the nineties. During these interactions, someone suggested the idea of a book. The product of that virtual engagement is this copy by (former) political reporters who now reside in several countries and at different stations in life.

The collection of narratives captures a number of the political dramas in Nigeria between 1987 and 1994. NAPOC founding National Secretary, Gbenga Onayiga traces the history of the association to an innocuous event in May 1988 at the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC) headquarters in Lagos. Founding Chairman, Emeka Nwosu amplifies the story with how Babangida’s transition to civil rule programme helped forge critical interactions that made NAPOC members relevant to the political process. Meanwhile, Deba Uwadiae, also a founding exco member, focuses on the leadership change in the electoral commission from Professor Eme Awa who was succeeded by his former student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Professor Humphrey Nwosu.

In ‘Transition to Nowhere’, Mikail Mumuni, who reported from Dodan Barracks at the time, x-rays the circus of the banning and unbanning of ‘old politicians’ by the military and the encounter he and other colleagues had with Babangida which suggested that the entire programme was a charade meant to produce only one outcome: the perpetuation in power of the then military president.

Drawing from nuggets in his book, ‘What they don’t teach you in broadcasting’, Orji Ogbonaya Orji offers unique perspectives on the role of the political reporter from his experience at State House (both Dodan Barracks in Lagos and Aso Rock in Abuja) which he covered for Radio Nigeria. Felix Oboagwina’s account on the factional politics that eventually culminated in the formation of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) details the role of principal actors like retired Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Professor Ango Abdullahi, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, Chief Olu Falae and Alhaji Lateef Jakande. He concluded with how the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola eventually became the party’s flagbearer. The political evolution in Nigeria from Second Republic to the aborted Third Republic is aptly captured by Gboyega Amoboye, the man we all call ‘Governor’.

In ‘Chief MKO Abiola’s Last Public Outing,’ Bosun (Odedina) Oluwabusayomi highlights the memorable events of Saturday 11th June 1994 when, at the Epetedo playground on Lagos Island, Abiola declared himself president of the country. Bosun also captures the intrigues and power play of subsequent days before he (Abiola) was arrested and whisked to Abuja on what turned out to be a journey of no return. The intervention by Bisi Onanuga–assigned by the defunct Daily Sketch Newspaper to cover the SDP in the buildup to the presidential election–highlights behind-the-scenes plots and twists of that era. Kunle Oyatomi’s report centres on activities at the Jos Township Stadium in March 1993 and the roles played by principal actors including Yar’Adua, Atiku Abubakar, Lamidi Adedibu, Bola Tinubu, Lateef Jakande, Chuba Okadigbo, Sule Lamido, Balarabe Musa, Abubakar Rimi, Yohanna Madaki, Tony Anenih, Ango Abdullah, and others in the emergence of Abiola as SDP presidential candidate.

Yemisi Fadairo, who reported for the defunct Sunday Times, profiles Abiola and the ‘only regret’ of the late acclaimed winner of the annulled presidential election. In ‘When Rebellion Turns Victory: The Story of a Historic Abracadabra in Nigeria’s Politics’, Sina Ogunbambo recounts one of the most fascinating stories of the Third Republic: How a clear underdog, Sir Michael Agbolade Otedola of the then opposition National Republican Convention (NRC), was elected Lagos State Governor through the connivance of aggrieved leaders of the ruling SDP who controlled 38 of the 40 members in the House of Assembly!

The judicial abracadabra which provided justification for the annulment of the June 12 presidential election is the subject of Lawal Ogienagbon’s intervention while Felix Oboagwina’s recollection of the day Abiola returned to the country from his controversial foreign trip following the annulment of the election is an enjoyable read. Jide Ajani’s account offers readers ‘Glimpse of the 4th Republic’.

In his reflection, Segun Olanipekun, then of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), concludes that reporters who covered the era failed to properly scrutinize claims by political actors. Abiodun Adeniyi, who reported for The Guardian Newspapers, examines the operational scope of political journalism, concluding that they should be creative, personable, convivial, confident, sometimes aristocratic, and brilliant. In ‘12 Top News Sources of June 12 era’, Ike Abonyi nominates Babangida, Abiola, Abacha, Ernest Shonekan, Humphrey Nwosu, Babagana Kingibe, Tom Ikimi, Anthony Enahoro, Francis Arthur Nzeribe, Clement Akpamgbo SAN, Humphrey Nwosu, Frank Kokori as well as Justices Dahiru Saleh and Bassey Ikpeme, as the principal actors.

Cordelia (Nwulu) Ukwuoma who covered the politics desk for the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) along with Kehinde Young–Harry, Moni (Adebayo) Abudu and Rekiya Zubairu, shares her regret. On the eve of the June 12 election, Ukwuoma had an accident in Abuja while on her way from the Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS) where she had interviewed Director General, the late Prof Omo Omoruyi. She monitored the election from the Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos. Her colleague, Abudu wrote on ‘Watching the Court: Coverage of the Election Umpire’. The book also contains Abiola’s letter from prison to Gani Fawehinmi while three interviews with principal actors of the era, including Mr Bayo Onanuga (who led a team of dare-devil reporters who introduced ‘Guerrilla Journalism’ into the political lexicon of the country) were culled.

Isa Husaini examines the rumours and fake news that also dominated the era and how they impacted the transition programme, especially after the annulment of the June 12 presidential election.

Idowu John Bakare’s intervention is on the court ruling that led to the sack of the Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government and the eventual take-over of power by General Sani Abacha. Sufuyan Ojeifo examined the various institutions created by Babangida to birth a new political order that never was.

Drawing lessons from anecdotes of the era, Akin A Onipede who was Lagos Bureau Chief and later, editor of the Nigerian Tribune, offers useful insights on what might help journalists when taking decisions on important stories with profound implications on the polity as well as the integrity of their media houses. We don’t have to doubt our reliable source but be cautious on relying at all times on them. Check and check the source, the facts, the circumstances, and apply wisdom and ask yourself, ‘what does this story mean?’, Onipede admonishes.

The book closes with two post-mortem interviews. One by Felix Oboagwina with Comrade Frank Kokori on the role played by NUPENG and civil society during the struggle against the annulment of June 12. The duo of Bosun Oluwabusayomi and Gboyega Amoboye spoke with Tinubu on ‘NADECO, Radio Kudirat and Our Regrets’. And there cannot be a more appropriate person to write the foreword than Prof Tonnie Iredia with whom we all related at the time in his capacity as the electoral commission’s Director of Publicity.

By documenting an essential epoch in Nigeria’s political journey, respected political reporters (some now retired, some still active) provide insights on where we are coming from as a people, tragic mistakes made by the military and political actors of a certain era, lessons we have refused to learn as well as what might have been had we followed a different trajectory. What makes this book particularly significant and compelling is that, given the demographics of Nigeria, most of our citizens were born after the ‘June 12’ fiasco of 1993. And they need to know these stories.

Let’s be clear, ‘Nigeria’s Aborted 3rd Republic and The June 12 Debacle: Reporters’ Account’ is by no means a definitive account of the controversial transition to civil rule programme of General Babangida. Or for that matter, the annulled June 12 presidential election. But it is a fascinating collection, reminding us of the forces that shaped our past and may perhaps be responsible for Nigeria’s present dilemma.

Adeniyi reported for The Guardian on Sunday, African Concord, Sunday Concord during the period and later became presidential spokesman. He is currently chairman of THISDAY Editorial Board

SECTION 1

NAPOC AT THE BEGINNING

NAPOC: How It All Began

By Gbenga Onayiga

The National Association of Political Correspondents (NAPOC) was formed by a group of reporters assigned by their media organisations to cover activities at the national headquarters of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), Onikan - Lagos at the dawn of the political transition programme of military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. The correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), late Chief Ike Mbonu, on one sunny afternoon in May 1988 beckoned on a few of us still nosing around for news at the defunct NEC headquarters and floated the idea of forming an association with the primary objective of generating and reporting news from the electoral body and other agencies set up under the political transition programme of the military government. The idea came at a time when getting news stories from the electoral body was like squeezing water out of the rock.

Indeed, news editors were already considering the redeployment of some of us from the NEC beat for nonperformance. The news reports were not just flowing. It was so bad that some of our colleagues had to be given additional beats if only to justify their salaries.

Without hesitation, we all embraced the idea to justify our continued stay on the NEC beat. Protem officers were elected on the 3rd of July 1988. The convener, Chief Ike Mbonu unanimously emerged as Chairman; my humble self, Gbenga Onayiga, (Radio Nigeria) was elected as General Secretary, and Deba Uwadiae (Vanguard Newspapers) was voted in as Financial Secretary/Treasurer. We had earlier approached and received the blessing of the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). Copies of the rules and regulations of NAPOC which we made sure