Former Governor of Jigawa State and elder statesman, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has ignited a fresh wave of political debate following his bold assertion that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was never a true hero of the June 12 democratic struggle. In a televised interview aired on Arise Television, Lamido accused Tinubu of aligning with then-military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida during the controversial annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.
Lamido, who served as National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) during the 1993 elections, claimed that Tinubu’s role in the democratic movement has been exaggerated for political gain. “Tinubu was actively hand-in-glove with Babangida,” Lamido stated, alleging that Tinubu’s mother, Hajia Abibatu Mogaji, mobilized Lagos market women to Abuja in support of the military regime.
He further argued that the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), often cited as a symbol of Tinubu’s pro-democracy activism, was primarily formed to resist the regime of General Sani Abacha, not to restore Abiola’s mandate. “NADECO was postulated to fight Abacha, not for June 12,” Lamido said.
The former governor also questioned the sincerity of Tinubu’s democratic credentials, suggesting that his activism only gained prominence after Abacha’s takeover. “He became relevant and noticeable after Abacha took over the government,” Lamido remarked, adding that many who now claim to be June 12 champions were absent during the initial resistance to the annulment.