Comrade Daniel Onjeh, the APC candidate in the 2016 Benue South senatorial rerun election against former Senate President David Mark, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of former military ruler General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) for the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
In a statement released on Monday, February 24, Onjeh condemned IBB’s recently published autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service’, labelling it a desperate attempt to distort history and evade accountability for what he termed one of Nigeria’s gravest democratic betrayals.
He dismissed Babangida’s tepid apology, asserting that the former military leader conveniently shifted blame onto deceased individuals who cannot contest his narrative.
“IBB had a chance to express genuine remorse and accept responsibility for the damage he inflicted on Nigeria’s democracy, but instead, he chose to mock our collective intelligence.
“He skirted around the truth, just as his nickname ‘Maradona’ suggests. Nigerians will not be fooled again,” Onjeh declared.
The former Chairman of the Governing Board of the Projects Development Institute (PRODA) likened Babangida’s book to ‘The Dead Stay Dumb’, a novel by James Hadley Chase, accusing him of manipulating history through selective storytelling.
He argued that IBB’s narrative absolves him while placing blame on late figures such as Chief MKO Abiola, General Sani Abacha, Prince Arthur Nzeribe, Justice Bassey Ikpeme, and Prof. Humphrey Nwosu.
Onjeh expressed his outrage that prominent dignitaries attended Babangida’s book launch and contributed to an “IBB Presidential Library” while public libraries, schools, and other essential institutions languish in neglect.
“What exactly is IBB preserving? A legacy of deception, betrayal, and usurped mandates? It is an affront to democracy-loving Nigerians that such a man still garners respect,” he fumed.
The former President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) maintained that the annulment of the June 12 election was not merely an abuse of power but an outright act of treason.
He insisted that IBB and his co-conspirators must be held accountable for undermining the will of millions of Nigerians who voted for MKO Abiola in what remains Nigeria’s freest and fairest election.
“No statute of limitations should shield IBB and his accomplices from justice. If we are serious about democracy, actions must have consequences.
“The global community must also take action by sanctioning IBB and freezing any ill-gotten assets held abroad. A coup against democracy must never go unpunished.”
Onjeh, who also ran as the APC senatorial candidate for Benue South in 2023, reiterated his demand for the immediate arrest and prosecution of IBB and his accomplices for treason against the Nigerian people.
He also called for full compensation for victims of the June 12 struggle, including families of those who lost their lives, were unlawfully imprisoned, or suffered damages, alongside the official recognition of MKO Abiola as a former President of Nigeria.
While President Muhammadu Buhari awarded Abiola the GCFR title and declared June 12 as Democracy Day, Onjeh insists that further action is imperative.
“He must be officially recognised as a former President, and his family should receive all benefits accorded to past heads of state.
Onjeh also challenged IBB to clarify the fate of the controversial $12.4 billion Gulf Oil Windfall, alleging that Babangida’s regime mismanaged the revenue Nigeria earned during the 1990–1991 Gulf War.
He referenced a probe by the Pius Okigbo Panel, which indicted the regime for financial recklessness.
“For decades, Nigerians have demanded answers, but all we receive is silence. Where did the money go, and who profited? Since IBB is suddenly in a confessional mood, he should address these pressing questions,” Onjeh stated.
He asserted that no amount of historical revisionism can absolve IBB of guilt.
“History will judge IBB, but so must the law. Nigeria must not be a nation where impunity prevails. If we are truly a democratic society, we must act now.
“Babangida and his co-conspirators must face the full consequences of the law. Anything less would betray the ideals that June 12 represents,” he declared.
