News
30 yrs of June 12: MKO son’s bombshell: Buhari cancelled benefit to Abiola family despite GCFR recognition
It will be exactly 30 years tomorrow since the June 12, 1993, presidential election generally believed to have been won by the late Bashorun MKO Abiola but annulled by the then-military government.
Abiola died in the ensuing attempt to reclaim his mandate in 1998, about four weeks after the military ruler who had detained him for declaring himself President, General Sani Abacha, mysteriously passed on in June of that year.
Abiola’s death sparked agitation across the country for his posthumous recognition as a former Nigerian leader immediately after the nation returned to civilian rule in 1999 but this was not achieved until 2018 when former President Muhammadu Buhari moved Democracy Day from May 29, the day Nigeria had returned to civil rule after the June 12, 1993 episode, to June 12.
Buhari did not stop there. He conferred posthumously the highest honour in the land and one usually conferred on Presidents or former Presidents, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), on the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Earlier, former President Goodluck Jonathan had tried to immortalise Abiola by renaming the University of Lagos (UNILAG) after him but the move was resisted by the UNILAG alumni, forcing Jonathan to beat a retreat.
Abiola’s then-running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, on his part, got the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) honour usually reserved for Vice Presidents or their equivalents from the Buhari administration. The gesture was interpreted in many quarters to mean that Abiola and Kingibe had been recognised as former President and former VP respectively. Whereas it is five years since June 12 was officially recognised, it is 30 years since the historic election.
President Bola Tinubu was a participant in the June 12 episode as he was involved in the then-transition to civil rule as a senator representing Lagos West before teaming up with pro-democracy elements to demand the restoration of the Abiola mandate from the Abacha regime under the aegis of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
And this is the first Democracy Day on June 12 under the Tinubu administration. In this interview, one of the children of the late Abiola, Jamiu, speaks on how the family has fared since the detention of their patriarch, the death, the murder of his mother, Kudirat, during the struggle and other issues around June 12.
It has been 30 years since the June 12 election and nearly 25 years since your father’s demise. How has it been with the family?
It has not been easy at all. It was from the heights of joy as a result of the presidential victory to the depths of sorrow because of the annulment. Such an event can only be devastating to any family. This is not to mention other countless negative consequences of the tragedy. The family has accepted the fact that life must go on.
This is the only attitude we can adopt as a family, particularly because in most countries similar to Nigeria, in terms of population and ethnic diversity, there has always been a family that has paid the supreme price for democracy and stability.
The Ghandis in India, the Bhuttos in Pakistan and even the Kennedys in the United States of America have all lost at least family members to unnatural causes that were politically motivated. This is a fact that can now be sadly said about Nigeria too.
At a time, stories about disputes resulting from sharing of inheritance were peddled. It was also said that paternity and Deoxyribonucleic Acid, DNA, tests were conducted…
Most of what you have heard is true. When it rains it pours and this is what further exacerbated the tragedy. DNA tests were conducted but this issue was deliberately mishandled to divert attention from my father’s assets. The fact that some had failed the DNA test should never have been published in newspapers. So, there were court cases later used as excuses for stalling the sharing of my father’s assets or diverting their proceeds to fictitious legal charges. The fact that all of this was happening just a few years after my father died was a great disservice to his memory and legacy.
But this is in line with something God Himself had mentioned in the Koran when he stated that among our family members, some might be our enemies. It is a lesson from which many people, old and young, should learn. To make matters worse, those who took over his assets have even refused to maintain the house in which he was buried, even though it will not cost more than a tiny fraction of their loot.
Prominent Islamic scholar in Bauchi, Sheikh Dahiru Usman-Bauchi, is dead. He died at the age of 102.
Until his death, he was one of the world leaders of the Tijjaniyya Islamic sect.
The renowned Islamic cleric died early hours of Thursday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.
Announcing the death, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, extended his heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the late Sheikh, his followers, students, and the entire Muslim Ummah across Nigeria and beyond.
In a statement made available to journalists by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, the Governor described him as a towering figure in Islamic scholarship as well as a man of deep faith, humility, and wisdom.
He said: “Innalillahi wa inna Ilaihi Rajiun. It is with deep sorrow and a profound sense of loss that the Bauchi State Government announces the death of renowned and revered Islamic scholar, teacher, and spiritual leader, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, who returned to his Creator in the early hours of today, Thursday, 27th November, 2025, at the age of 102 in Bauchi.”
Governor Mohammed said his lifetime was devoted to the propagation of Islam, the teaching of the Holy Qur’an, and the moral and spiritual upliftment of humanity.
“Through his numerous schools and learning centres, he nurtured thousands of students who went on to memorise the Qur’an and spread Islamic knowledge across the African continent,” he stated.
He said that the late Sheikh’s immense contributions to theology, Islamic jurisprudence, and history have left an indelible mark on the intellectual and spiritual landscape of our society.
The Governor added that: “As we mourn this monumental loss, we take solace in the fact that Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi lived a life fully dedicated to the service of Allah, humanity, and knowledge. His legacy will continue to illuminate the path of generations to come.
“The Government of Bauchi State will continue to honor his memory by supporting the institutions and ideals he stood for , particularly in the areas of Islamic education, moral discipline, and community development.
“We pray that Almighty Allah, will forgive his shortcomings, grants him Aljannatul Firdaus, and give his family, followers, and the entire Ummah the fortitude to bear this great loss,” he stated
BREAKING: Prominent Islamic Scholar, Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, dies at 102
News
Sylva Seeks Audience With EFCC
He said that he was deeply surprised and profoundly unsettled to learn through a public announcement that he had been declared wanted despite his well-known disposition towards cooperation with lawful authorities.
Chief Timipre Sylva, former Minister of State for Petroleum, has written to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) asking the commission to give him a date for his appearance.
The former Governor of Bayelsa State in a letter he personally signed and addressed to the Chairman of the commission particularly frowned at the move by the EFCC to declare him wanted over an alleged $14.8million fraud.
Sylva in the letter dated November 24th but was received and acknowledged by the EFCC on November 26th and made available to newsmen on Wednesday, however, informed the commission that he was currently receiving an urgent medical care for a life-threatening condition.
He said that he was deeply surprised and profoundly unsettled to learn through a public announcement that he had been declared wanted despite his well-known disposition towards cooperation with lawful authorities.
The letter reads:”In view of the foregoing, I most humbly request that a mutually agreed date be set subject to medical clearance to enable me appear physically and formally.
News
Tinubu nominates ambassadors for U.S, UK, France
The nominees are Kayode Are of Ogun state, Aminu Dalhatu of Jigawa state, and Ayodele Oke of Oyo state.
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday nominated three non-career ambassadors to the United States of America, UK, and France, and urges the Senate to confirm the appointments .
The nominees are Kayode Are of Ogun state, Aminu Dalhatu of Jigawa state, and Ayodele Oke of Oyo state.
Tinubu made the request in a letter addressed to the Senate and read on Wednesday, November 26 by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said: that the postings will be finalised following Senate screenings.
“Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to South Korea during President Buhari’s administration, having been first appointed in 2016.“
Ambassador Ayodele Oke, an alumnus of Emory University in Atlanta, is a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Secretariat of the Commonwealth of Nations in London.
“Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are was Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) from 1999 to 2007, served as National Security Adviser in 2010, and was an officer in the Directorate of Military Intelligence.
He graduated with First Class Honours in Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1980.”
BREAKING: Prominent Islamic Scholar, Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, dies at 102
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