Babangida, who had delivered a national broadcast on June 24, 1993, to formally announce the annulment, claimed that Abacha had grown too powerful within the factionalised military, making it nearly impossible to remove him after stepping down from office in August 1993.

Abacha’s grip on power tightened further when he ousted Ernest Shonekan’s Interim National Government in November 1993 and later detained Abiola for declaring himself president.

‘Abacha Led the Anti-June 12 Forces’
Babangida recalls giving the chairman of the National Electoral Commission, Professor Humphrey Nwosu, a direct order to proceed with the elections despite mounting tensions.

“Go ahead with the elections. Go to your office, hold a world press conference and tell everyone the elections will be held tomorrow as planned,”