Ose Anenih, son of the late elder statesman and former Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Tony Anenih, has issued a pointed rebuttal to recent remarks by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, accusing him of distorting historical facts surrounding the annulled June 12, 1993 election and his father’s role in the events that followed.

In a public letter on Monday, Anenih took exception to what he described as an “uncouth” portrayal of his father by Onanuga, in a communication that carried the authority of the Presidency. He expressed disappointment over what he called the politicisation of history and the posthumous disparagement of a man who, he argued, played a key role in managing a turbulent chapter of Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

Anenih said he would avoid emotional baiting but felt compelled to correct what he called a misrepresentation of history. “I will assume that your mischaracterisation of historical events stems from ignorance, not malice,” he wrote, in reference to Onanuga’s commentary.

He recalled that following the annulment of the June 12 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola initially fled the country, only to return later and visit Chief Tony Anenih in Benin City. During that visit, the senior Anenih reportedly confronted Abiola over what he saw as the SDP candidate’s abandonment of the party and its supporters at a crucial moment.

Quoting his father, Ose Anenih wrote that Abiola had responded metaphorically: “A bird does not tell his friends that the stone is coming.”

He went on to recount further exchanges between his father and Abiola, including warnings not to place faith in the military regime led by General Sani Abacha. According to Anenih, Abiola had supported the concept of an Interim National Government (ING) and even negotiated for strategic portfolios in anticipation of eventually assuming the presidency. However, he later shifted allegiance to Abacha, whom he reportedly congratulated after the latter’s coup against the ING.

Ose Anenih questioned the suggestion that early visits to Abacha by politicians, including President Bola Tinubu, should be seen as a mark of democratic heroism. He noted that his father mentioned Tinubu only once in his 260-page memoir, My Life and Nigerian Politics, and never in terms of animosity.

“I find it curious that you consider his [Tinubu’s] early visit to Abacha… a mark of honour,” Anenih wrote, noting that several other prominent figures involved in that period of Nigerian history are still alive and could offer their own accounts.

He added that he found it regrettable that the Presidency would devote energy to revisiting a three-decade-old episode rather than addressing current national tragedies, including recent bombings in Borno and Kano.

“I truly wish you had used your pen today to issue condolences… rather than rewriting history and smearing the dead,” Anenih said, concluding with an offer to send Onanuga a copy of his late father’s memoir for historical clarity.