A former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri, has stated that the June 12, 1993 presidential election did not present Nigerians with candidates of their choice.
Waziri said the electorates were forced to choose between M.K.O. Abiola and Bashir Tofa, who were known to be General Ibrahim Babangida’s allies at the time.
Waziri made the revelation during the Second Posthumous Legacy Colloquium, held on Thursday in Abuja, in honour of the late High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, founder of DAAR Communications. The event was organised by Dokpesi’s friends, political associates, and allies.
According to Waziri, “Nigerians, out of disappointment, were forced to vote in 1993 for candidates not of their choice. With due respect, Abiola was not the choice of Nigerians, neither was Bashir Tofa. The choices of Nigerians were Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Bamanga Tukur, and the rest of them.”
He argued that while the June 12 election is often celebrated as a watershed in Nigeria’s democratic journey, it was, in fact, a desperate attempt by citizens to end military rule rather than an endorsement of the presented candidates.
Reflecting on the legacy of the late Dokpesi, Waziri described him as a trailblazer whose contributions to broadcasting, politics, and business would remain indelible. He commended Dokpesi’s role in promoting political discourse, particularly within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Waziri also expressed dismay over the current state of Nigerian democracy, lamenting that Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he “never expected” to become president, was sworn into office on May 29, 2023.
