Not only Professor Alkassum Abba, Dr Abubakar Siddique Muhammed offered the same view on June 12. He described the election as neither free nor fair in a paper he wrote titled: The June 12 Election Was Neither Free Nor Fair.
According to Muhammed, there are six aspects of an election which determine whether or not is democratic, free and fair but the June 12 election has failed in meeting all the six aspects.
The first aspect has to do with the composition of the electorate, the second is the formation of Political Parties, the third is the nomination of candidates, the fourth is the election campaign, the fifth has to do with the polling, the counting, recording of votes and announcement of results. The sixth has to do with the operations of the judicial system in its handling of the election petitions.
Chief Abiola didn’t obtain any democratic mandate through free and fair election based on the six aspects mentioned above.
Not only Professor Alkasum Abba and Dr Siddique, many political scientists across the country hold the same view that the June 12 election wasn’t free and fair.
In the paper, Dr Abubakar Siddique Muhammed further described Abiola as a good friend of Babangida and a major financier of almost all the military coups that took place in the country.
He supported the coup that toppled Shehu Shagari as a democratically elected president of this country after he failed to clinched the National Chairmanship of the NPN.
How would you describe Abiola as a hero of democracy while he supported a coup against a democratically elected government if the said allegation happens to be true?
The June 12 based on what I read so far is an exaggeration because of the propaganda of the southern press.
This paper is a must read. Thanks to my good friend Mukhtar Maigamo who shared it with me few months ago after a long phone conversation on the June 12 saga.
Adnan writes from Abuja
