Maryam Abacha, former First Lady and widow of late military Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha, has challenged recent claims by former President Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), accusing her husband of orchestrating the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
In an interview with TVC marking the 27th anniversary of Abacha’s death on June 8, 1998, Maryam Abacha said the accusation is unjust, politically motivated, and disrespectful since her husband is no longer alive to defend himself.
“I am not here to talk about Babangida or anybody. I don’t wish to talk about anything or anybody. All I know is that that annulment was not done by my husband, and then if it was him, that means he was very powerful.”
“That means he was even more powerful than the President, and if the President is there and somebody else is calling the shots, that means Abacha was the greatest,” she stated.
IBB had claimed in his February 20, 2025 autobiography, A Journey of Service, that Abacha, who was then Chief of Defence Staff, annulled the June 12 election without his approval.
Maryam Abacha also rejected long-standing allegations that her husband looted Nigeria’s treasury during his rule from 1993 to 1998.
Instead, she claimed that the funds her husband allegedly kept for Nigeria were stolen after his death.
“Who is the witness of the monies that were being stashed? Did you see the signature or the evidence of any monies stashed abroad? And the monies that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, vanished,” she said.
“People are not talking about that. Why are you blaming somebody for something? Is that tribalism or a religious problem? Or what is the problem with Nigerians? I pray for Nigerians. I pray for all of us.
“I pray that we should have goodness in our hearts. We should stop telling lies and blaming people. Why are we so bad towards each other? It’s not fair. I think the media should try. You journalists should try to educate the people.”
She also praised the leadership of her husband, referring to his efforts at restoring peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone during his time in office.
