Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to settle a N45 billion debt allegedly owed to late Chief Moshood Abiola.
Lamido made the call during the launch of his autobiography, Being True to Myself, held on Tuesday at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja.
He said the payment would serve as both a moral and symbolic gesture to finally close the chapter on the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, which is widely believed to have been won by Abiola.
“In his book, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida admitted Abiola won that election,” Lamido said. “When I visited him, he also confirmed that Abiola is owed N45 billion. He was doubly punished — denied the presidency and his entitlements.”
He urged the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammad Idris, who represented President Tinubu at the event, to deliver the message to the president directly.
Lamido added, “Tell the President to pay the Abiola family the N45 billion. That will finally bring closure to June 12.”
The annulment of the 1993 election led to political unrest across Nigeria and eventually forced the resignation of then-military ruler, Gen. Babangida.
The book launch drew several prominent guests, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and Governors Umar Namadi (Jigawa) and Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe).
Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, represented by ex-INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega, praised Lamido’s book as an important contribution to Nigeria’s political history.
