June 12 Betrayal: Falana Reveals How IBB Publicly Humiliated Him, Seeks Justice

Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has announced his intention to pursue legal action over what he describes as the wrongful detention and prosecution he faced under the regime of former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida (IBB).

Falana’s decision follows the release of IBB’s recent book, where the former leader addressed the controversial annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s fairest election.

Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Falana recalled how IBB ordered his arrest and detention alongside the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, and other pro-democracy activists. The group faced charges of unlawful assembly and sedition for opposing the annulment.

“We were jailed for publishing the election results,” Falana stated.

He recounted that on June 26, 1993, IBB defended the annulment, citing alleged electoral malpractices despite clear evidence that the election was free and fair. Falana pointed out that IBB personally signed the decree nullifying the election and dissolved the Presidential Election Tribunal headed by Justice Bola Babalakin.

“Now, he wants to create the impression that some external forces annulled the election without his knowledge. But Babangida himself wielded that power against the will of Nigerians,” Falana asserted.

Following the annulment, the Campaign for Democracy organized nationwide protests, prompting IBB to order the arrest of pro-democracy activists, including Fawehinmi, Ransome-Kuti, and Falana.

“We were paraded before a Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse, Abuja, on charges of sedition, simply for publishing the election results,” Falana recalled.

Denied bail, Falana and his colleagues were imprisoned at Kuje Prison under the notorious Decree No. 2.

“The junta mistakenly believed that imprisoning us would quell the protests, but they misjudged,” Falana added.

Falana also criticized IBB’s recent expression of regret over the annulment, noting that it came too late.

“32 years after the annulment, Babangida now says he regrets his actions. He deliberately arrested, detained, and paraded me as a criminal, only to now claim regret. This shows he always knew our prosecution was unjust,” Falana remarked.

With IBB now admitting that MKO Abiola won the election, Falana insists that his detention and prosecution were unlawful and a violation of his human rights.

“I’ve assembled a team of lawyers, and we are taking legal action,” he announced. “IBB’s admission proves that our detention was malicious and an abuse of power. He violated our rights to liberty, freedom of movement, and democratic choice.”

When asked about the official recognition of MKO Abiola as a former president, Falana dismissed the suggestion, calling it unnecessary.