Former governor of Jigawa State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) founding member, Sule Lamido, has accused President Bola Tinubu of supporting the annulment of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election.

Speaking on Arise TV, at the weekend, Lamido alleged that Tinubu, often hailed as a pro-democracy icon, aligned with military rulers during the crisis, particularly former Military President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).

However, retired Colonel Tony Nyiam, a prominent figure in the 1990 Gideon Orkar coup and National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) member, dismissed Lamido’s claims as divisive propaganda by the “Fulani hegemony” to destabilise the South and reclaim power.

The Presidency has also said Lamido’s claims represent a distortion of history and a regrettable attempt at revisionism.

Lamido said: “President Tinubu supported IBB’s annulment of June 12. Even his mother, Abibatu Mogaji, rallied Lagos market women to back Babangida.”

He further argued that Tinubu only became active in the democratic movement after the late Gen Sani Abacha seized power, suggesting a calculated move rather than a principled stand.

According to Lamido, NADECO, often tied to the June 12 struggle, was primarily formed to resist Abacha, not to restore Moshood Abiola’s mandate.

“Tinubu only emerged as a democracy champion after Abacha took over,” Lamido said. “He’s rewriting history to cast himself as a hero.”

Responding to Lamido, in a message to The Guardian, Nyiam said: “This is a classic case of ‘incredible falsehood’, a deliberate tactic to sow confusion and regain political control, especially of southern lands and resources.”

Lamido also identified himself as part of any arrangement, no matter the nomenclature, to remove the Tinubu government, which he alleged was incompetent and divisive.

“I will be part of any arrangement, any chemistry, any configuration—whatever you may call it—if it’s going to remove this government that is on autopilot.”

When pressed specifically on whether he was part of the emerging Alliance for Democratic Action (ADA), Lamido stopped short of giving a direct endorsement but was emphatic about his determination:

“What you see, don’t panic. I don’t panic. I walk with my eyes wide open.”

He accused the Tinubu administration of weaponising ethnicity and using state institutions to stifle the opposition.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement, yesterday, stressed the importance of reminding Nigerians that Lamido, as secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)—the party whose candidate, Abiola, won the June 12 election—was among those who failed to oppose the military’s injustice.

“The SDP leadership, including Lamido and chairman Tony Anenih, wrote their names in the book of infamy by surrendering the people’s mandate without resistance. To their eternal shame, Lamido and Anenih teamed up with the defeated National Republican Convention (NRC) to deny Abiola his mandate.

“In sharp contrast, Sen Bola Tinubu stood firm even before Abacha dissolved the political parties and all democratic institutions, including the National Assembly, on November 17, 1993, following his coup,” he stated.