Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has announced plans to challenge what he describes as his malicious detention and prosecution under the regime of former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (IBB). Falana’s decision follows revelations in IBB’s recently launched book, where the former leader addressed the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election—widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Falana recounted how Babangida ordered his arrest and detention alongside late legal luminary Chief Gani Fawehinmi, late activist Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, and other pro-democracy campaigners. The group was charged with unlawful assembly and sedition for challenging the annulment.
Falana detailed how, on June 26, 1993, Babangida justified the annulment by citing alleged electoral corruption, despite widespread acceptance that the election was free and fair. He noted that Babangida personally signed the decree nullifying the election and dissolved the Presidential Election Tribunal led by Justice Bola Babalakin.
“Now, he wants to give the impression that some forces, without his knowledge, annulled the election. But Babangida himself exercised that power against the interest of Nigerians,” Falana said.
Following the annulment, the Campaign for Democracy launched nationwide protests. In response, Babangida ordered the arrests of pro-democracy activists. Falana recalled how they were paraded before a Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse, Abuja, for sedition simply for publishing the election results.
Denied bail, Falana and his colleagues were remanded in Kuje Prison under the notorious Decree No. 2. “The junta foolishly thought jailing us would stop the protests, but they miscalculated.”
Falana pointed out that 32 years after the annulment, Babangida now claims to regret the decision.
“He deliberately arrested, detained, and paraded me as a criminal, only to say now, ‘We regret what we did.’ That means he knew all along that our prosecution was unjust,” Falana said.
Now, with Babangida’s admission that MKO Abiola won the election, Falana argues that his arrest and detention were baseless and a violation of his fundamental human rights.
“I have assembled a team of lawyers, and we are taking legal action,” he declared. “IBB’s admission proves that our detention was not only malicious but an abuse of power. He violated our right to liberty, freedom of movement, and democratic choice.”
On whether President Bola Tinubu should officially recognize Abiola as a former president, Falana dismissed the idea as unnecessary.
“Since 1993, Abiola has been recognized by the Nigerian people as an elected president. These same people who tried to set the clock back are only acknowledging it now,” he said.
He also criticized Babangida’s plan to establish a Presidential Library, arguing that only elected leaders have the legitimacy to do so.
“No former military head of state has ever set up a presidential library. What do you want to read there? A president is elected by the people—a military dictator is not,” Falana added.
With Babangida’s admission of fault, Falana insists that justice must be served and is determined to challenge his wrongful prosecution—even decades later.
