by Azeez Adeniyi and Alexander O. Onukwue

June 12, 1993 is one day that will continue to linger in the minds of Nigerians, most especially those who witnessed the incidents at that time.

It is not just any calendar day in Nigeria, as it has been widely regarded as the authentic ‘Democracy Day’ as against May 29 popularly celebrated.

Businessman and Philanthropist, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola popularly known as M.K.O won the first Presidential election in Nigeria under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

That election is regarded as the most successful, free and fair and violent-free poll in the country till date.

But the military leader at the time, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida annulled the election, stating that it did not meet the basic requirements of a free and fair election.

Here’s a timeline of activities before and after the election:

August 1985: General Ibrahim Babangida overthrows Muhammadu Buhari in a bloodless coup, with the help of officers, including Joshua M. Dogonyaro and Sani Abacha.

July 1, 1987: General Ibrahim Babangida announced a six-year transition programme scheduled to begin in the third quarter of the year.

The programme was aimed at disengaging the military from power and introducing civilian rule in 1992.

The timetable included local government elections on a zero-party basis, the lifting of the ban on politics and the registration of political parties as well as the inauguration of elected state governments.

August 4, 1987: Babangida named a ten-member National Electoral commission (NEC) to conduct the the forthcoming elections.

The electoral commission was headed by Professor of Political Science, Eme Ewa.

October 12, 1987: The National Electoral Commission (NEC) commenced registration of voters for local government elections all over the nation.

December 12, 1987: Nigerians voted in the first local government elections of the transition programme for return to civilian rule by 1992.

October 1988: In a statement, IBB says “We have not chosen and have not sought to choose those who will succeed us. We have only decided on those who will not”, the first signal that he was going to be directly involved in the process of electing the next democratic leader.

May 1989: IBB declines recognition to twenty political organisations which indicated interest in registering for elections, instead creates the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC).

December 1991: At the behest of a delegation which included Shehu Shagari and Ibrahim Dasuki (18th Sultan of Sokoto, father of Col Sambo Dasuki and IBB’s surrogate father), General Babangida lifts the ban on old breed politicians.

August 7, 1992: SDP primaries produces Shehu Musa Yar’adua, its leader, as Presidential candidate.

The National Electoral Commission (NEC), however, canceled the first round of presidential primaries, for alleged widespread irregularities.

December 1992: Elections into the House of Assembly was conducted with the SDP winning most of the seats.

March 1993: Abiola stood for the presidential nomination of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and beat Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to secure the presidential nomination of the SDP.

May 1, 1993: Abiola chooses Kingibe as running mate, smiting Yar’adua. There had been a previous agreement to reimburse Yar’adua’s campaign expenses to the tune of 15 million naira. However, the choice of his protégé, whom he saw as a betrayer, against his choice of Atiku Abubakar, created an irreconcilable fissure between MKO and SMY, and factions within the SDP.

June 10, 1993: Association for Better Nigeria (ABN), led by Arthur Nzeribe, obtained an order from the Abuja High Court to prevent NEC from conducting the elections on June 12. The ABN was allegedly funded by IBB.

June 12, 1993: Abiola of the SDP party defeated National Republican Convention’s Bashir Tofa.

Although the winner was not announced, Abiola was said to have garnered 8,341,309 votes while Tofa scored 5,952,087 votes.

June 13, 1993: From post-election morning, announcements of results by NEC began.

June 15, 1993: NEC chairman, Humprehy Nwsou, is directed by Attorney-General of the Federation, Clement Akpamgbo, to cease further announcements of results. ABN had returned to the Abuja court and got a ruling from Justice Dahiru Saleh, declaring the June 12 elections illegal, and restrained NEC from releasing any results.

June 18, 1993: Human rights group, Campaign for Democracy, led by Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, tender the full election results at a Lagos court, showing a 58.36% victory for Abiola’s SDP against 41.64% for Tofa and the NRC.

June 23, 1993:  Nigeria’s military dictatorship, led by General Ibrahim Babangida, annulled the June 12 presidential election and canceled plans to return the nation to civilian rule.

June 26, 1993: General Babangida addresses the nation on the reason for the annulment.

“It is true that the presidential election was generally seen to be free, fair and peaceful. However, there was a huge array of electoral malpractice virtually in all states of the federation before the actual voting began. About 2.1 billion naira was spent by both presidential candidates. We have authenticated reports of electoral malpractice against party agents, NEC officials and the electorate, who were manipulated through offer and acceptance of money and other forms of inducements…

“The conduct of the election, the behavious of the candidates and post election responses continued to elicit signals which the nation can only ignore at its peril. To proclaim and swear in a president who has encouraged a campaign of divide and rule amongst our various ethnic groups would have been detrimental to the survival of the third republic,” he had said.

July 6, 1993: The National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) issued an ultimatum to the SDP and NRC to either join an interim government or face another round of elections

August 27, 1993: Babangida announced that he would hand over to an interim civilian government.

It was reportedly assumed that the military leader was devising ways to continue staying in power.

November 28, 1993: Britain, the United States and France condemned the latest military takeover and threatened to toughen sanctions against Nigeria.

General Sani Abacha had taken power from interim President, Ernest Shonekan.

June 23, 1994: M.K.O Abiola was arrested after he declared himself President at a rally in Lagos. He was immediately declared wanted for treason and was arrested on the orders of military President Sani Abacha.

June 1996: Abiola’s second wife, Kudirat was assassinated in Lagos after declaring public support for her husband.

July 7, 1998: M.K.O Abiola died same day he was supposed to be released from prison.

An autopsy report conducted revealed that Abiola received insufficient medical attention for his existing health conditions.

Abacha’s Chief Security Officer, al-Mustapha has alleged that Moshood Abiola was beaten to death.

Al-Mustapha, who was detained by the Nigerian government claims to have video and audiotapes showing how Abiola was beaten to death.