Sule Lamido and Tony Anenih Signed Off The June 12 Elections, Says Alake

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has fired back at former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido over his claims about President Bola Tinubu’s role in the struggle for the actualization of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. Alake described Lamido’s assertions as “revisionist,” “false,” and “an attempt to rewrite history.”

In a scathing rebuttal, Alake said Lamido was suffering from “selective amnesia” and was trying to “appear intelligent” but was “dangerously short of a full thought.” He accused Lamido of being complicit in the annulment of the June 12 election and of trading away the mandate of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

Alake, a close associate of Abiola and a former journalist, said he was at the center of the pro-democracy movement from the beginning. He revealed that he wrote the first public statement of Abiola’s intention to run in January 1993 and was instrumental in advertising it across all Nigerian media platforms.

The minister also accused Lamido of being part of a faction that surrendered Abiola’s mandate, while Tinubu, as a key player in the party’s internal structure, was instrumental in persuading Atiku Abubakar to step down for Abiola during the Jos primaries.

“Tinubu was one of the principal figures who negotiated with Atiku to drop his ambition and align with MKO. That’s how MKO coasted to victory at the second ballot in Jos,” Alake said.

He also debunked Lamido’s claim that Tinubu supported the annulment, saying it was “patently false” and an attempt at revisionism to cover Lamido’s own pernicious role. Alake recalled that Tinubu immediately joined the resistance after the annulment and was deeply involved in the fight against the military regime.

“Tinubu was one of the funders and organizers of the initial wave of protests in June and July 1993. Where was Sule Lamido during this time?” Alake asked.

The minister also dismissed Lamido’s insinuation that Tinubu supported General Sani Abacha, citing the president’s persecution by the Abacha regime. He said Tinubu’s house was firebombed, and he was hounded into exile, and that Abacha even issued a directive for him to be found dead or alive.

Alake concluded that all of Lamido’s claims were “tendentious, obnoxious, and pugnacious” and designed to distort history and hide the real truth about those who genuinely fought for democracy.

In a related development, Alake highlighted the federal government’s recent approval of a $400 million rare earth and critical minerals plant, the largest in Africa, with the potential to create over 10,000 jobs. He said the project was a testament to the government’s commitment to developing the solid minerals sector and creating jobs for Nigerians.