Tony Anenih has given details of his encounter with late Moshood Abiola – The former SDP chairman said Abiola was terribly frightened before his death – According to Anenih, Abiola begged Ibrahim Babangida for an opportunity to lead Nigeria
A former national chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Tony Anenih, has said that Nigeria’s 1993 self-acclaimed president, late Moshood Abiola appealed to the then military head of state for an opportunity to lead Nigeria.
Anenih said Abiola repeatedly told him that Ibrahim Babangida was only trying to embarrass him by annulling the June 12 election, Vanguard reports.
In his book titled: ‘My Life and Nigerian Politics’, Anenih said after a phone call, he flew to Lagos where he met with Abiola’s running mate, Babagana Kingibe on the issues surrounding Babangida’s annulment.
He said: “On the issue of June 12, Chief MKO Abiola had called me on the phone to come for an urgent meeting in Ikeja. I flew to Ikeja and met Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, Dr Dele Cole, and Kola, MKO’s son.” “At the meeting, Chief MKO told us that his friend, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, planned to embarrass him. He kept repeating this without stating the type of embarrassment,” Anenih wrote.
He added that a frightened Abiola insisted that they must all leave his for his son, Kola place. “He was terribly frightened and depressed. We all moved to Kola’s house in Maryland. Right from this time, Chief Abiola was trying to get President Babangida on the phone, but each time he tried (Halilu) Akilu (then Director-general, National Intelligence Agency) received the call.
“We could hear Chief Abiola telling Akilu to tell his friend (IBB) that they were still friends, and that he should allow him to be president, even for one day, and he would resign thereafter; that all the photographs they took together were still all over his house, and that he should not forget the past, and that God would bless him,” Anenih noted.
