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Opinion: Beyond the ‘Politricks’ of June 12
By Raymond Nkannebe
Many Nigerians, including this writer still share the considered view that the decision by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration last year to post-humously recognise Chief MKO Abiola as the winner of the controversial June 12, 1993 election, was a red herring of sorts, or as some persons have chosen to describe it, a Greek gift.
Giving the timing of that audacious move, only a political neophyte would not see it’s political undercurrents. Since the mishap of June 12, the South West of the Country have not had a last word on the matter. It continues to feel betrayed and cheated after one of its own was denied the seat of the presidency in broad daylight. Not even the surreptitious enthroning of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as the president of the Country by the military hierracy in 1999 was enough to placate frayed nerves in the West for whom the abortion of the June 12 election was a non-compoundable evil.
The day had thus taken a life of its own and at least two states in the western region observed it annually as a public holiday with state-sponsored activities dedicated to its commemoration. Despite all entreaties made to successive Nigerian governments by the Yoruba intelligentsia since the return of democracy in 1999 to officially decorate June, 12 in the pantheon of Nigeria’s history, same have met a cold reception by Abuja.
While the administration of Good luck Jonathan came close to that with its contemplation of conferring post-humous National Award to the hero of June 12, it was talked out of it by the Justice Belgore award committee who was of the view that national awards cannot be conferred post-humously.
Apparently not persuaded by the sentiments of the award committee, and perhaps determined to consolidate his electoral chances in the South West in the permutations to the recently held general elections, president Muhammadu Buhari saw a political millage within a serious national question: June 12 and decided in vintage Machiavellian fashion, to kill two birds with one stone: boosting his acceptance in the West of Nigeria by the act of conferring even if post-humously, the highest Honour in the land to the acclaimed winner of the June 12 1993 elections, Alhaji Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola on the one hand, and rising to an instructive pan-Nigerian feeling-the genie of June 12 which over the years had become a national affair.
And I think the commendations that followed that deft move by the Buhari administration, even amongst those who acknowledge that it was a political move, says it all.
Of course no one can water down what June 12 represents in the historics of Nigeria. Not only was it an election that afforded Nigerians the opportunity to choose their leader democratically after the truncation of the second republic, it was a missed opportunity for Nigeria to consolidate on her traditional nemesis of division along ethnic and religious lines especially on socio-political issues.
After the ethno-religious sentiments that gave birth to the revenge coup of July 1966 and the civil war that it precipitated, Nigerians never had the occasion to speak on an issue with one voice without being overtaken by ethnic or religious bias. But June 12 was going to change the narrative.
Abiola, a Yoruba of the popular Egba clan and his running mate— Babagana Kingibe, a northerner of the Kanuri stock, were both Muslim candidates on the presidential ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and contested the June 12 1993 election against Alhaji Bashir Tofa; the Kano-born billionaire and his running mate, Harvard trained and Mbaise-born Sylvester Ugoh; who ran on the ticket of the National Republican Convention (NRC). It was the calculation of the NRC hierracy at the time that it’s more “balanced” ticket would give it an edge above the Muslim-Muslim ticket of its opponent, apparently in a bid to cash-in on the ethno- religious sentiments of the electorate.
But as it turned out, Nigerians on June 12 under the A4 Option of Prof. Humphrey Nwosu queued behind the Abiola-Kingibe ticket and just before the announcement of the result was aborted by the Babaginda Junta, Abiola had garnered a whopping 8,341, 301 votes ahead of his opponent’s 5, 954, 087 votes as unofficial reports put it before the annulment of the exercise. Not only that, Abiola was leading in 19 out of the then 30-state structure ahead of his opponent who managed 11 states. Instructively, Abiola won Alhaji Bashir Tofa in his home state of Kano. It was the first time a southerner would defeat a northerner in his home base.
And the message out of that was loud and clear. The electorates gave no hoot about the religious persuasions of the candidates. As one analyst put it, “it was a day that religion meant noting as far as who governs the country was concerned”. More than anything else, it was the “HOPE” for a better Nigeria that Abiola promised, that resonated with many Nigerians at the time, as it should be. But all of that was not to be. It is therefore from this sense of collective loss on the part of Nigerians who were all equal partners in the June 12 project, that it’s subsequent national appeal derives.
It is understandable however why the Yoruba have kept it closer to their heart. Not only was their son directly in issue in the political mishap, he would go on to die a very controversial death after prolonged incarceration by the Abacha junta and reportedly on a day he was due to be released. But beyond that, his beloved wife would also pay the supreme price following from her sundry activities in reclaiming the mandate of her beloved husband. It is along this context, I think, that June 12 remains an emotional affair for many Yorubas as Biafra is to the Igbo. However, that does not operate to take away it’s national allure, or make it a Yoruba-affair; hence why the signing into law of the bill marking June 12 as the official Democracy Day by president Muhammadu Buhari the other day, would go on after many years to become one of the remarkable acts of his presidency; to the extent that it was a move that struck at the chord of our journey as a nation.
Yet, it is not the mere commemoration of June 12 as Democracy Day that lays the ghost of Abiola finally to rest. That would be reducing the mysticism of the day. It must take a whole lot than the pomp and pegeantry that would pervade most government houses today to underscore the essence of June 12. As against being a day for outlandish celebration, it calls for serious reflection; not only on the life and times of the eponymous hero of the event, but also on the concept of democracy as a cherished system of Government in the 21st century and whether after 20 years of experimenting with Democracy, Nigerians could be said to have been given the “HOPE” the hero of June 12 promised.
In the United States for example, when the Martin Luther King day was declared, it was meant not just to honour him, but to uphold the principles and ideals he stood for as a champion of Civil Liberty whose campaign against racial segregation made America a better place. In much the same way, the celebration of June 12 would remain a cosmetic affair or another presidential pet project, if the ideals and values that go with it are not imbibed and internalised.
Without a doubt, two of those values stand out in the context of the June 12 election namely: free and fair electoral process and, the choice of leaders without recourse to narrow ethnic and religious considerations. Unfortunately, on both scores, Nigeria continues to wobble. The voting pattern in the last two presidential elections leaves a gory picture of a country deeply divided along ethnic and religious lines. Such voting demographics speaks volumes and portends a great danger for national cohesion. Certainly, those were not what June 12 looked like.
Away from the disturbing optics of the voting pattern in the referenced elections, is probably the more serious problem of electoral malpractices. It is to the collective shame of Nigeria and Nigerians that we continue to refer to an election conducted some 26 years ago as the freest and fairest in all our history despite the advancement in technology that could have been deployed to make the process a lot better. One of reasons why many pro-democracy activists enlisted in defence of the Abiola mandate was because of the consensus around it as a freely and fairly conducted election. It was therefore a cause worthy to die for. It is difficult to hazard a guess that anyone in our current patently rigged electoral process, would put their lives in the line for any candidate at an election; as it has become an open secret that politicians go to the polls to out-rig themselves.
If 26 years after, June 12 remains the model election for Nigeria, then it raises serious concerns for the hoopla about 20 years of uninterrupted democracy. It is an indictment that we have not made any progress in arguably the most fundamental ritual of any democracy: fee and fair franchise; which is what June 12 is most popular for. And there is no better proof of this than the cauldron of pre and post election cases now littered in our courts and tribunals.
It is in these key collateral failings that discourses around June 12 must be situated. Beyond the politics and Politricks of the event therefore, current and subsequent administrations must be seen to commit to the key values and ideals the absence of which brought about the mistake of June 12. It is only when this is done, that the memory of Abiola could be said to have been honoured and the essence of June 12 as a latter Democracy Day fully served. Not in its panegyrics.
Raymond Nkannebe is a legal practitioner
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has sent a veiled message to Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, saying support for President Bola Tinubu alone will not guarantee any election ticket.
Wike made the statement on Sunday during a public outing in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
His remarks were widely seen as directed at Governor Fubara, amid lingering political crisis in the State.
The former Governor of Rivers State said political loyalty must be tested during difficult times, not after power has been secured.
He mocked those he described as late supporters of President Tinubu, insisting that sudden alignment would not earn political rewards.
He said: “So the issue is not whether you are supporting Tinubu. That one, we have taken too long, long… Yes, oh. So Tinubu’s issue is not an issue again. Yes. Do you understand me? Yes. Tinubu’s issue is that nobody should be coming here to tell a day. We are for Tinubu; I am against you. Who is for Tinubu University? (laughs) That cannot give you any ticket oh! (laughs again) Direct, direct. It will not. Direction. Direction.”
Wike stressed that his political camp stood with Tinubu when the decision was unpopular. He said that support given under pressure carries more weight than alignment after victory.
He also recalled how the Rivers State House of Assembly openly backed Tinubu early, long before the election outcome was certain.
According to him, some of those now making public declarations were absent during the critical period.
“The same people now who came to declare, put them to God… But they should declare they are saying it for a candidate. Yes. Don’t you see characters? (laughs) So I send the sword far ahead of them.”
Wike further spoke on governance and continuity. He defended projects and agreements initiated during his tenure as governor. He said it is often difficult for successors to acknowledge past efforts, even though government is a continuous process.
His comments come weeks after Governor Fubara formally aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party of President Tinubu.
The move followed months of political crisis in Rivers State, which led to federal intervention and a declaration of emergency rule.
Political watchers believe Wike’s remarks constitute a direct response to Fubara’s recent positioning as a key Tinubu ally in Rivers politics. Critics argue that Fubara’s support surfaced only after the political storm had settled.
Wike, who remains a dominant force in Rivers State politics despite serving in Abuja, appears to have drawn a clear line ahead of the 2027 elections.
He suggested that political tickets would be decided by proven loyalty, not convenience.
Videos from the event in Rumuche, Emohua, spread rapidly on social media. Many users described the speech as a coded warning to the governor.
As of press time, neither the Rivers State Government nor Wike’s media team had issued an official clarification.
The comments, however, suggest that the political rift between both camps is still active, despite earlier peace moves brokered at the national level.
The opposition African Democratic Congress and the Labour Party on Sunday criticized President Bola Tinubu for departing Nigeria for Europe on holiday at a time the country is grappling with rising insecurity, including foreign military interventions in the North.
The Presidency announced on Sunday that Tinubu left Lagos for Europe for his end-of-year holiday ahead of an official visit to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he is scheduled to attend the 2026 edition of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit.
President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the trip was by invitation from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to participate in the summit, which gathers global leaders from government, business, and civil society to advance sustainable development strategies.
“His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has invited President Tinubu to participate in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, which will take place in the emirate early in January,” the statement read.
Reacting to Tinubu’s departure, the ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bola Abdullahi, faulted the timing as inappropriate given the security challenges facing the country.
The ADC noted the deadly terrorist bomb blast in Zamfara and the ongoing foreign military involvement, calling the President’s move insensitive.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s lack of care is alarming. In the wake of another deadly bomb blast in Zamfara, and following an unprecedented foreign military attack on Nigerian soil, the nation is waiting for reassurance from its leader. Instead, we learn the President has gone on holiday. What a President!” Abdullahi said.
Similarly, LP’s acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, described the trip as “insensitive and devoid of empathy” for Nigerians facing violent attacks and humanitarian crises.
Speaking through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, she stressed that the President should have remained in the country to coordinate security responses.
“This is the most inauspicious time for the President to leave the country. Even the Christmas holiday in Lagos seems ill-timed, given that a bomb exploded in Zamfara today, killing nine people,” Usman said.
She further alleged that Nigeria was under external attack and accused the government of downplaying the severity of the situation.
“Nigeria is under attack by a foreign nation. No matter how the government tries to frame this, it is a violation of our sovereignty. This is the time for the commander-in-chief to coordinate the response, not embark on a holiday,” Usman said.
She added that the President had not convened critical security meetings since the U.S.-led bombardment of terrorist camps in Kwara and Sokoto States and condemned the perceived lack of engagement with military leadership.
The President’s trip comes amid heightened security concerns. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump authorised AFRICOM to conduct airstrikes on terrorist camps in Sokoto State, hours before Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged the operation. A deadly bomb blast in Zamfara on Friday claimed several lives.
The 17th edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week will run from January 11 to 15 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre under the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go.”
The event aims to connect innovation, finance, and people to advance sustainable development.
Onanuga confirmed that Tinubu would return to Nigeria after the summit.
Hosted by Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy company, the summit will feature the invitation-only ADSW Summit, the World Future Energy Summit, the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, and specialised sessions on hydrogen, climate finance, water security, and utilities in the Global South. Organisers expect more than 50,000 participants from over 170 countries, featuring over 700 global brands and exhibitions of emerging clean technologies.
The UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, noted that ADSW 2026 builds on two decades of the UAE’s leadership in renewable energy.
Tinubu previously attended the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2025, where he held meetings with Gulf investors and officials on trade, energy cooperation, and climate finance.
Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, Tinubu has undertaken at least 46 foreign trips, spending an estimated 192 days abroad as of October 2025. In 2025 alone, he travelled internationally no fewer than 15 times to countries including Ghana, the UAE, Tanzania, France, Italy, Saint Lucia, Japan, and Brazil for summits, bilateral engagements, and holidays.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Ever wondered how one sleeps and wakes up? Ever wondered where the spirit goes while we sleep? The answer is hidden in mysteries because life, and by extension, existence, is full of mysteries.
On a personal note, I do believe that whenever we sleep, we are basically practicing how to die because no one knows the whereabouts of the spirit and souls. All we know is that we wake at the break of dawn, or when there’s a stirring, either naturally or artificial. That is a mystery!
Have you also ever imagined how a man will have sexual intercourse with a lady and a child is born? Have you also ever wondered about the mystery surrounding death? Have you also imagined how human beings fall in love with the opposite sex despite various variables. Again, each time I fly in the air, I begin to wonder about the invention surrounding the aeroplane. So many questions begging for answers. The mysteries surrounding life is inexhaustible.
For the benefit of hindsight, life is indeed a mystery. Sometimes, we think we understand it, and other times, it humbles us with its complexities. Life can be likened to a woman; the more you try to understand them, the more confused you become.
I had to give this introductory analysis to buttress the significance surrounding the mysteries of life. Why do I say this? Nothing is permanent in life, and as such anyone can be great and successful tomorrow. In my native Igbo (Nigerian) language, we have a saying that “nobody knows the stomach that will birth a king tomorrow”, and “tomorrow is pregnant”. These are evidence of the mysterious nature of life.
In my journey through life, I have met angels and devils in human form, who have played different roles in shaping my thoughts and outlook towards life. While I thought certain people will bring smiles to my life, they turned around to make me question their intentions and mindset. But the people I had some reservations with turned out to be some of the best things that have happened to me. For instance, I have a dear friend turned brother, whom I hold in high esteem. His name is Sodeeq Sulyman. He is the Chief Operating Officer of my company.
As a matter of fact, today is his birthday. He met me on X and reached out to me to be his mentor. I was literally humbled because that was the first time someone was making a firm request of me. I gladly accepted the request, and today our friendship, brotherhood and relationship has truly blossomed. This young man is literally one of the best things that has happened to my life. If I was told he will change the outlook of my life, business and life generally, I wouldn’t have believed it.
But as my late mother would always say, when you meet people just take the good part and leave the bad part. In all sincerity, I strongly believe our meeting was predestined, and mysterious if the circumstance of our meeting is x-rayed.
Here is the message, never look down on anyone except you are helping them to do something or pick something. Another message is don’t give up on anyone because you don’t know what tomorrow will unfold. Even the Bible book of life states in Proverbs 118:22, “the stone which the people rejected has become the cornerstone”. So, it’s instructive for one to be kind, courteous and humble in relationship with human beings because nobody knows what life will unfold tomorrow.
Imagine, if I had not treated this young man very well or even accepted him, I would probably have met other minds, who would have given me an experience of a lifetime I wouldn’t forget in a hurry.
The mystery of life can be seen in wealth creation. A man of means today can become a beggar tomorrow if the wealth is not properly managed, and the child of a certified pauper can become a man of means tomorrow. There have been stories of wealthy men whose children mismanaged their parents’ and became hungry, while slaves of wealthy men became stupendously wealthy. What does that tell you? Nothing is guaranteed in life. I often wonder how people take life very seriously thinking everything is about them. They don’t even know they can sleep and not wake up the next morning, nor are they aware of the fact that pride and ego are the two greatest enemies that can fast track the downfall of a man, while humility can jump-start their elevation.
As human beings sometimes, we wonder where our next meal will come from. Where would our next business, money, spouse, opportunity come from are some of the questions that bug our minds? One might have a business that has little or no hope of succeeding, but with determination and favour from God, the business will turn around for good.
On a personal note, I have been in a scenario where I lost hope of succeeding or moving to the next round, but I was surprised when the universe came through in ways and manners I couldn’t comprehend. I believe we all have one story or another to share as it relates to the mysteries of life. I can vividly recall when my late dad was very sick in the hospital. As a matter of fact, he was adjudged to be the sickest patient in the hospital. The doctor who was treating him said, he lost his mother to the exact sickness my late dad was facing. But with prayer, my late dad was able to survive to the amazement of everyone. He was later adjudged to be a miracle patient because he was given a slim opportunity to survive.
I don’t know what your storyline might be nor do I know what you are experiencing in your academic, business, health, career, or family life. One message I have for you is that nothing lasts forever. If you give it time, one day you’ll laugh and thank God for the experience and lessons life has offered you because life is a mystery one may not understand. It unfolds as it chooses.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny Design and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
