Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has argued that Nigerians are treating former military president Ibrahim Babangida unjustly following the release of his recent memoir. The 420-page autobiography, titled A Journey in Service: An Autobiography of Ibrahim Babangida, includes a significant admission from the former leader: MKO Abiola was the rightful winner of the 1993 presidential election, which Babangida’s regime controversially annulled.
This revelation, coming 32 years after the event, has sparked varied responses nationwide. While some critics argue that Babangida’s admission is overdue, Senator Kalu, who represents Abia North, defended him during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday. Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, emphasized that Babangida willingly stepped forward to share his perspective.
“I think Nigerians are judging Babangida too harshly,” Kalu remarked. “He came out on his own to tell his story. But I believe it’s incomplete. I’d urge President Babangida to write a second book because there’s more to reveal. For instance, there were officers who advised him against handing over power to Abiola.”
Kalu praised Babangida for addressing long-standing historical controversies in his memoir, including his assertion that the 1966 coup was not an “Igbo coup”—a misconception that has fueled decades of blame against the Igbo people. According to Kalu, this candor demonstrates Babangida’s courage in confronting issues others have avoided.
The senator stressed the need for a follow-up book to shed light on the roles played by other senior military figures during the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election—a decision that remains a polarizing topic in Nigerian politics. The election pitted MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) against Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC), and its cancellation has left a lasting mark on the nation’s history.
Kalu also hinted at the precarious circumstances Babangida faced at the time, noting that his eventual exit from power suggested underlying threats. “Babangida was in danger during that period,” he said. “If you recall how he stepped down, it’s clear something was amiss. More military officers from that era should speak up. Naming just one or two people isn’t enough—the full truth needs to come out.”
In Kalu’s view, a second book by Babangida, delving deeper into these events, would provide Nigerians with a clearer picture of the forces at play during one of the country’s most tumultuous political chapters.
