A prominent figure in Nigeria’s military history, General Ishola Williams (rtd), has claimed that former military Head of State, Gen Ibrahim Babangida, had already prepared General Sani Abacha to take over leadership before the controversial annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Speaking as a guest on the Inside Sources with Laolu Akande programme on Channels Television, Gen Williams, who served as the Chief of Defence Training and Planning, contested the claims made in Babangida’s recently released memoir, A Journey in Service: An Autobiography of Ibrahim Babangida. In the book, Babangida admits for the first time that Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the June 12 election, but did not address certain details, particularly his involvement in positioning Abacha for leadership.
Williams, who was mentioned in Babangida’s autobiography, explained that Babangida had actively prepared Abacha to succeed him before the annulment, which led to widespread unrest and protests. He recalled a meeting between Babangida, Abacha, and other generals where the plan for a transition was discussed. According to Williams, Babangida often referred to Abacha as “the Khalipha,” implying his support for Abacha’s eventual rise to power.
“Gen Babangida forgot to mention that he used to call Gen Abacha the Khalipha, which meant that one way or the other, he was encouraging Gen Abacha to succeed him,” Williams said. He further disclosed a personal conversation with Babangida in Minna, where he asked whether he had taken a blood oath with Abacha regarding his succession. Babangida did not respond to the question, according to Williams.
Gen Williams also revealed that he had written to Babangida in August 1993, urging him to hand over power to civilian rule. At the time, Williams was stationed in Minna, and Babangida had stepped aside, leaving a military vacuum that led to further instability. Williams described the appointment of new service chiefs by Babangida and their eventual replacement by Abacha, signaling a clear shift towards Abacha’s control.
He also recalled a meeting where the transition was discussed among senior military officers, with Abacha present. Williams was alarmed when the discussion shifted to the annulment of the June 12 election rather than the handover process, and he voiced his concerns. However, his objections were met with silence, and Abacha, who was seated beside him, dismissed his concerns.
“The whole decree was planned in such a way so that Abacha could take over,” Williams added, revealing that the military leadership had designed a decree for a transitional government, which ultimately served to pave the way for Abacha’s eventual coup.
The annulment of the June 12 election, regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history, led to widespread protests across the country. Babangida, who had taken power through a military coup in 1985, was forced to step down in the wake of the crisis. He was succeeded by an interim government led by businessman Ernest Sonekan, with Abacha serving as Chief of Defence Staff and Minister of Defence.
However, Abacha, who had long been positioning himself for power, orchestrated a coup in November 1993, overthrowing Sonekan and taking control of the government. The annulment of the election, which had pitted Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) against Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC), led to national unrest, with Abiola declaring himself president. Despite his victory, Abiola was imprisoned by Abacha’s military regime and tragically died under suspicious circumstances in 1998.
After Abacha’s sudden death in 1998, General Abdulsalami Abubakar took over, overseeing the transition to democratic rule. This eventually led to the election of Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, marking the beginning of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic and the return of democracy after years of military rule.