Adams Oshiomhole
Former governor of Edo state Adams Oshiomhole has stated that the late MKO Abiola rejected a transfer by leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to free him from detention.
Abiola was the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which was annulled by the then navy head of state Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.
In 1994, he introduced himself because the lawful President of Nigeria and was afterwards declared needed by the late Gen. Sani Abacha regime.
He was subsequently arrested on a cost of treasonable felony and died on 7 July, 1998 in jail.
And Oshiomhole, a nationwide chairmanship aspirant of the ruling All Progressives Congress, recalled the significance of the election, including that many commerce union activists have been direct beneficiaries of Abiola’s generosity.
But he regretted that Abiola declined labour’s supply to free him.
“When Abiola was in prison, we made several efforts to see him but the military were blocking it. But finally one day, we went there and (a former NLC President), Paschal (Bafyau) who led us to him, said, ‘sir, we want you to accept the bail with all the conditions attached to it,” he stated in a assertion.
“We informed him that these guys are able to maintain him in jail for a very long time and make sure that he will be unable to come back out alive.
“The late head of State (Sani) Abacha has requested Abiola to go and make a nationwide broadcast withdraw his earlier assertion of announcing himself president. But Abiola stated, ‘I'll stay right here in jail; I cannot do their bidding.
“Abacha eventually died and Abiola also died. Today, Abiola’s children can go anywhere and say I am Abiola and they will be respected.”