Former Nigerian military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), continues to face criticism following the release of his autobiography, A Journey in Service, particularly for his role in annulling the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election.
During a radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development (PRIMORG) in Abuja, PRIMORG’s Executive Director, Okhiria Agbonsuremi, joined a growing list of Nigerians questioning Babangida’s memoir.
Speaking on the annulment, Agbonsuremi criticized Babangida’s failure to declare the late MKO Abiola as the rightful winner. He argued that the book portrays the former military leader not as the strongman many perceived him to be but as a coward unwilling to take a stand.
“The content of IBB’s book reveals that he was not the strong leader we thought he was. He comes across as a coward—someone who, despite being a military president, could not stand up to his colleagues and assert his decision,” Agbonsuremi said.
He also condemned Babangida’s acceptance of responsibility for the annulment without offering a sincere apology to the millions affected by the resulting crisis and human rights violations.
“Many lives were lost due to the annulment of the June 12 election. At the very least, Babangida should have opened his book by saying, ‘I take responsibility, I am sorry, I regret my actions, and I will spend the rest of my life atoning for them,’ because he was the one responsible,” he added.
Agbonsuremi urged President Bola Tinubu to break away from the current system hindering Nigeria’s development if he intends to make a lasting impact. He emphasized that Tinubu, given his history with June 12 and NADECO, is in a unique position to challenge political elites and push for systemic reforms.
“The President has June 12 and NADECO in his blood. However, he is deeply embedded in the system, making it difficult for him to bring about change unless he actively separates himself from it. Leadership is a critical issue in Nigeria today, and Tinubu is the only one who can gather political stakeholders and declare, ‘Enough is enough—let’s fix the system,’” Agbonsuremi stated.
He further highlighted the persistent lack of accountability among Nigerian leaders, urging citizens to remain active in demanding good governance through peaceful protests and organized movements.
Listeners who called into the radio program expressed their frustration and disappointment with Babangida’s book, particularly his handling of the June 12 election annulment.
An Abuja resident, Gideon, lamented: “What worries me is that the first credible election was annulled, and an innocent man lost his life. Abiola never got to sit in office. It’s unfortunate. But have we learned from it? Look at INEC today—they act with impunity.”
Peter from Lugbe, Abuja, added: “IBB’s book is disappointing. I was 13 in 1992, in JSS 2, and I remember celebrating Abiola’s victory on the streets. This is shameful.”
Moses from Wuse II, Abuja, remarked: “There’s nothing exciting about the book. IBB brought Nigeria into this mess. Many lives were lost under his rule. He had a chance to fix the country, but he was too weak—even failing to win PDP primaries when he tried to return to power.”
Oreke from Abuja accused Babangida of dishonesty: “IBB is not telling the truth. His book does not reflect what really happened. He owes Nigerians an apology.”
Human rights lawyer and former Chairman of the Nigerian Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, also criticized Babangida’s book launch, calling the former military leader the “Grand Commander of the Order of Cowardice.”
Other prominent figures who have condemned A Journey in Service include human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and the families of the late MKO Abiola and Gen. Sani Abacha.
