Lamido Alleges Tinubu Backed Annulment of June 12 Election, Questions Democratic Legacy

Former Jigawa State Governor and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of supporting the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and attempting to rewrite his historical role in Nigeria’s democratic journey. Speaking during a live interview on Arise TV on Saturday, Lamido alleged that Tinubu was not the pro-democracy icon he claims to be, but rather a political opportunist aligned with military rulers during one of Nigeria’s darkest political periods.

Lamido specifically pointed to Tinubu’s alleged alignment with then-military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), during the period of the election annulment. “He was part of those who supported IBB’s annulment of the June 12 election. His own mother, Hajia Mogaji, was organizing Lagos market women to come to Abuja to pledge support for Babangida,” Lamido stated. He claimed Tinubu only became publicly visible in the struggle for democracy after the emergence of General Sani Abacha, not during the immediate resistance following the annulment of the election won by Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

NADECO Not Formed for June 12 – Lamido Alleges

In one of his most controversial assertions, Lamido said the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), often celebrated for championing the June 12 cause, was actually formed to resist Abacha’s regime and not specifically to fight for the restoration of Abiola’s mandate. This directly contradicts widespread historical narratives that associate NADECO with the June 12 struggle and Tinubu’s prominent role within it.

Lamido said Tinubu’s sudden emergence as a democracy champion only gained momentum after Abacha seized power, suggesting a calculated pivot rather than a principled stance. “NADECO was a postulation to fight Abacha, not for June 12. Tinubu became noticeable after Abacha took over the government. Before then, he was just a senator and a party secretary,” he noted. He accused Tinubu of deliberately “deconstructing and rewriting” history to position himself as a national hero of democracy.

Former Governor Vows to Join Any Coalition to Remove Tinubu

Beyond historical grievances, Lamido also issued a political challenge to the current administration, declaring his willingness to support any credible political arrangement aimed at unseating the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Tinubu in the 2027 general elections. He labelled the current government as incompetent, divisive, and lacking national vision.

“I am part of any arrangement, no matter the name or nomenclature, to remove the current government of incompetency, of insecurity, of dividing the Nigerian family between North and South, out of power,” Lamido said. He criticized the administration for governing with party interest in mind rather than national interest. “The entire government today is not for Nigeria, it’s for the political party,” he added, further accusing the APC of weaponizing state institutions to suppress opposition voices.

Tinubu Accused of Autocratic Leadership and Ethnic Manipulation

In a sweeping indictment of President Tinubu’s leadership style, Lamido accused the President of building an autocratic political structure centered around loyalty to himself rather than national or ethnic ideals. According to him, Tinubu is loyal only to his personal ambition, using people from any region or ethnicity so long as they serve his interests.

“Tinubu is not about Yoruba. Tinubu is about him and him alone,” Lamido declared. “He will bring anybody from the South-South, South-East, or even the North as long as they do his bidding.” He likened Tinubu’s approach to leadership to that of an emperor, warning that the political appointments within the APC reflect more of personal loyalty than national inclusivity or competence.

Lamido asserted that such centralized control diminishes democratic values and stifles dissent, turning governance into a personal enterprise rather than a collective responsibility. He described the atmosphere under Tinubu’s administration as stifling and devoid of meaningful opposition engagement.

Call for a New Coalition Based on National Interest

While expressing support for a coalition to unseat the APC, Lamido was quick to caution against replicating the errors of the 2014 merger that led to the formation of the current ruling party. He urged political actors to form an alliance built on national unity, economic revival, and security—not on hatred, revenge, or ambition.

“The coalition I’m talking about is not similar to what we had in 2014—a coalition of anger, revenge, and nothing but ambition,” Lamido clarified. “This one should be based on restoring Nigeria’s honour, strengthening our unity, and building an economy that works for all Nigerians.”

Lamido’s comments, coming at a time of growing public discontent over economic hardship and insecurity, are likely to stoke political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections. They also underscore the deep divisions among Nigeria’s political elite, especially over the legacy of June 12 and the future of democracy in the country.

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