Democracy Day: Key Actors In The June 12 1993 Presidential Election

Nigeria Celebrates June 12 Democracy Day

The June 12, 1993, presidential election is so far widely believed and considered the freest and fairest presidential election ever conducted in Nigeria.

The contest was between Chief MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Alh. Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention(NRC).

Chief Abiola reportedly polled a total of 8,341,309 votes, representing 58.36% of the total vote cast while Alh. Tofa garnered 5,952,087 representing 41.64% of the votes.

Naija News reports Nigeria operated a two-party system at that time.

Chief MKO Abiola

Mko, Abiola. (File photo).

Chief MKO Abiola was the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the June 12 1993 presidential election in Nigeria.

He was the presumed winner of the presidential election.

Abiola was arrested on June 22, 1994, and died in military custody on July 7, 1998.

General Ibrahim Babangida

Former military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida

General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida was the military head of state of Nigeria during the 1993 presidential election. He ruled between August 27, 1985 and August 26, 1993.

He annulled the June 12 presidential election.

Kudirat Abiola

Kudirat Abiola

Kudirat Abiola was one of the wives of Chief MKO Abiola. She was very vocal and at the forefront of the advocacy to restore MKO’s mandate and spoke against Gen Sani Abacha-led military regime.

She was assassinated on June 4, 1996.

Humphrey Nwosu

Prof Humphrey Nwosu

Prof. Humphrey Nwosu was the chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC) that conducted the June 12, 1993 election.

Babagana Kingibe

Babagana Kinigbe

Kingibe was the Vice Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and running mate of Chief MKO Abiola in the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

Bashir Tofa

Bashir Tofa

Alh. Bashir Tofa was the presidential candidate of the National Republican Convention(NRC) and contested against MKO Abiola.

Naija News reports Nigeria operated a two-party system during the 1993 presidential election.

Ernest Shonekan

Chief Ernest Shonekan

He was the head of the interim government set up by the Gen. Babangida administration after he stepped down as Head of State.

Sani Abacha

Gen Sani Abacha

Gen Sani Abacha was Nigeria’s military Head of State between November 17, 1993 and June 8, 1998.

He put MKO Abiola in prison but died before him. Abacha died on June 8, 1998.