....Says he fell ill during meeting with American delegation.
By Niyi Ogungbola
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar(retd), has said that late Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola, (MKO) winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, was not killed but died after falling ill.
First Awareness recalled that,it was a popular story then,that Abiola took poisoned tea which resulted to his untimely death.
However, speaking in an interview with Trust TV, Gen.Abubakar stated that, contrary to the popular believe by Nigerians and the world late MKO Abiola died in an unnamed medical center.
He added that, he always smiles whenever he hears allegation that, “they” killed Abiola.
First Awareness also recalled
that, Abubakar was the Military ruler from 1998, when dictator,late General Sani Abacha died, to 1999, when he handed over to democratically-elected President Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo(OBJ).
In the interview, Abubakar said: “Well, I smile because there were lots of allegations here and there that we killed Abiola.
“As I always say,when I am talking about late Abiola, I still thank God for directing me on things to do when he gave me the leadership of this country.
General Abdusalami Abubakar
“On the day Moshood Abiola passed away, may he rest in peace, two to three things make me always say I thank my God for the guidance He gave me.
“Number one of the three things am talking about was that, I received a delegation from America headed by Pickering, who was then, I think, the Secretary of State or so.
“In his team, I remember very well, was Susan Rice. I remember her very well because of the role she played later.
“So after the normal courtesy and discussion, when they were leaving my office, Pickering said: ‘Your Excellency, we made a request to see Moshood Abiola but we were denied’.
“I asked ‘Why were you denied? Who denied you?’ There and then I made a decision.
“I said ‘Look, you will see Moshood definitely, I overrule whoever said you cannot see him’.
“So I now called my chief security officer, I said ‘Please make arrangement for this team to see Abiola’.
“Now, during the incarceration of Moshood Abiola, except his personal doctor, to my knowledge, no member of his family saw him.
"When I became head of state,based on interactions and consultations with Ambassador Babagana Kingbe ,I ordered that Abiola family should be allowed to come and see him.
"So, a day before Abiola's death his family were allowed to see him. Even though,for one reason or the others,all the family members could not see him together at the same day .The arangment was that if this set of members of the family sees him today another will see him the next day.
"Also the team from America met him,a day after his family members saw him.It was at the meeting with the team he felt sick and security officers called medical personnels to attend to him.
"But when they observed that the situation was bad , together with the US team that visited him, they took him to the medical center but unfortunately he gave up at center.
"Then, my Security detail (officer) called me to inform me about his death.I said what? How can I announce or break this to the family, Nigerians and the World? I called my second in command and we made all necessary arangments and we called Kingbe we inform him.
"We also called his family to inform them about MKO Abiola's death. Really,it was a bad and sad experience.One of his daughter I can rembered I think,the senior daughter broke into tears uncontrollably,I held her and started persuading her. So, when people say we killed him, I laughed because I thanked my God for the directions and for all my decisions then as head of state."Gen. Abubakar stressed.
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