‘Tinubu Was Never A June 12 Hero, He Backed IBB Against MKO Abiola’- Says Lamido
Alhaji Sule Lamido, Former Jigawa State Governor, has ignited controversy with claims that challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s celebrated image as a pro-democracy champion.
In a blistering public statement, Lamido accused Tinubu of manipulating history to cast himself as a key figure in Nigeria’s democratic struggle, particularly in the aftermath of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News, Lamido alleged that Tinubu was, in fact, aligned with General Ibrahim Babangida at the time of the annulment of Chief M.K.O. Abiola’s victory — contradicting the narrative of Tinubu as a leading pro-democracy advocate.
Lamido said, “He was part of those people who were supporting Babangida’s annulment of June 12. His own mother, Hajiya Mogaji from Lagos, was organising Lagos working women to come to Abuja to pledge support for Babangida.
“I’m saying this because it’s simply history. I mean no harm. I don’t mean to embarrass him. But you see, he was actively handing gloves to Babangida.”
Lamido accused Tinubu of reshaping and misrepresenting historical events to enhance his personal image, saying, “When Tinubu today, after being a general president, decided to rewrite history, well, trying to maybe deconstruct history and then rewrite it, then it is very, very amusing because he was part of the Babangida support of June 12th. He was part of it.
“Now, it was only when Babangida took over government that Tinubu then became our so-called activist of June 12th.
“Tinubu is not about Yoruba. Tinubu is about him and him alone, his own interest. And whoever is going to play his own role, who is going to do his own bidding, he’ll bring him. I’ve been saying so. It’s not about Yoruba. All the Yoruba in APC today, in government, are his own boys who are going to do his own bidding, no more, no less.”
“He’s willing to go and bring somebody from the south-south, southeast, or even from the north, so long as they are going to do Tinubu. So Tinubu is behaving like the emperor he is,” he added.
