Abdulsalami Opens Up On June 12 Politics

Abdulsalami Opens Up On June 12 Politics

Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has revealed that some politicians who publicly backed Chief MKO Abiola after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election were secretly aligned with the government.

He also disclosed that certain political figures collected money from both Abiola and his rival, Bashir Tofa, during the presidential contest.

The disclosure is contained in his autobiography, Call of Duty, where he reflected on the conduct of Nigeria’s political class.

According to him, politicians often create divisions along ethnic and religious lines in public while maintaining cordial relationships behind closed doors.

Abdulsalami recounted a story allegedly told to him by the late Tofa, who claimed that some politicians collected funds from him with promises to deliver votes.

He later discovered the same individuals were also working with Abiola’s camp.

The former military leader said the incident illustrated the double dealings that often shape political activities in the country.

Drawing from his personal experiences, Abdulsalami said he witnessed similar behaviour during political disputes in the 1980s and throughout the June 12 crisis.

He urged Nigerians not to allow politicians to use them as tools for division, warning that many political rivalries presented to the public are often different from what happens behind the scenes.