President Bola Tinubu has narrated how he almost got killed by assassins during Chief MKO Abiola’s election in 1993.
On June 12, 1993, Nigeria held a presidential election which was won by the late Chief MKO Abiola.
However, the election was annulled and this led to the celebration of Democracy Day in Nigeria.
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Tinubu of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) was one of those who fought for the mandate at that time.
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Tinubu, who is now the President stated that his life was almost lost in Cotonou due to his involvement in the struggle. However, his love for Amala and generosity saved his life.
He revealed that during the period, General Sani Abacha who had usurped power after the annulment, became paranoid and sent assassins after pro-democracy activists.
Unfortunately, many lost their lives in the process. In one of these expeditions, Abacha sent his killers to the Republic of Benin where Tinubu was hiding.
The President said:
“I didn’t have a passport and couldn’t have been able to travel. At a stage, they discovered our routes, because they had spies all over, including Benin Republic. Twice I was caught and I fortuitously escaped. They traced me to one dingy hotel I was hiding.
“The day they came for me at the hotel, I had gone out on an Okada to buy amala at a market, where Yorubas are dominant. I was also to meet Akinrinade and the rest of them. The spies went to the hotel and as I was approaching, I saw two people wearing tajia (skull caps) at the front desk, asking questions. The man attending to them at the reception (I had been very nice to the receptionist) winked to me and I turned back.
“I contacted a friend in Benin Republic, who was an architect, and had very strong sympathy for us. Professor Wole Soyinka and Alani Akinrinade, who lodged in a better hotel, were fortunate to have escaped that night, too. The people on their trail pursued them to the hotel, but fortunately missed them.”
