Chief Murithala Mohammed Abiola, Head of the larger MKO Abiola family |
Presidential Campaign, it was said that General Muhammadu Buhari now President
Muhammadu Buhari had driven to the MKO Abiola Crescent off Toyin Street,
Ikeja—Lagos (South Western Nigeria) where he wept and prayed beside the grave
of the late symbol of democracy. The General who was then at the verge of
running another election and probably needed to call unto the spirit of the
only Nigerian who ever got a popular vote on all divides of the county was said
to have arrived the home of the June 12 winner amidst few aides on a day and at
the behest of one of the sons of the late Aare
Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Alhaji Lekan Abiola who campaigned
vigorously for Buhari in 2011 and 2015. However, 2 years into his reign as
Nigeria’s elected President and Commander-In-Chief, President Buhari who is presently carrying out massive anti-corruption
crusade in the country seems to have forgotten the name MKO Abiola or any vow he made near his grave in the heat of his campaign.
This didn’t come as a surprise to Alhaji
(Chief) Murithala Mohammed Abiola, the 75 years old head of Abiola family in
Abeokuta as he revealed the reason behind the President’s cold acts towards the
family in a special encounter with Asabeafrika
at his Ogun State home penultimate Friday afternoon. Chief Muri who was mourning the death of his younger brother Engineer Tunde Saliu Abiola who died on
Wednesday May 24 after a battle with one Mrs.
Dele Dasaolu Abiola, wife of the late MKO
Abiola over a property in Lagos told us real reason why President Buhari finds it difficult to forgive the winner of the June 12,
1993 election. Enjoy the excerpts.
I learnt General Muhammadu Buhari
visited MKO Abiola’s grave during his campaign and he made some covenant at the
grave side, that he will respect the wishes of MKO and celebrate his name. Are
you disappointed that Buhari like other political leaders has equally forgotten
MKO?
General Muhammadu Buhari….Drew MKO’s ire over policies that affected MKO’s media empire |
there at his visit but what happened is simple; everybody has his or her own
ideology. Buhari took MKO as his enemy; he believes that
it is MKO that dethroned him from power (In 1985). I have been
hearing from other quarters that he said he will not forgive him.
what I am hearing o. Even one of MKO’s sons was with him; he joined his party
long time ago, worked with him and campaigned heavily for him (From 2011 to
2015) that is Lekan Abiola. Till now, the boy has been abandoned. Lekan
went to him that ‘what are you going to
give us because of our Baba and all that?’ He said he (Lekan) should come
back in another four years.
Alhaji Lekan Abiola, MKO’s scion, campaigned vigorously for General Buhari but allegedly shunned by President Buhari… |
That was what he told the young man and they came
and told me here. And I blamed them; I said why did you go to him? Who is Buhari? And that is why I don’t go to
anybody because I don’t know anybody that I am going to meet now that was not stooge
to MKO. What do they have that they
want to give me or give the family? I have policy and I don’t joke with my
policy. So, I try to maintain my lane.
that Chief MKO Abiola helped his young friend General Ibrahim Babangida to push
General Buhari out of power in 1985 over some economic policies that affected
MKO’s businesses. Can you be frank on this allegation?
Chief Muri reveals the biggest secret of 1985 coup to the GDA |
remember now because it is a long time, MKO
is the owner of Concord Press, and press at that time was a
powerful weapon. It is the media that dictates the political space and
politics. Anybody that was going to do politics must have media house weather electronic
or print.
Tribune and Concord Newspaper
Concord Newspaper….The Project that got Buhari out of Office as Military Head of State |
because of NPN that MKO established Concord. That particular period, MKO ordered for newsprint for the
production of his newspaper. There was a policy on ground on the percentage and
what you will be paying on importation or custom duty for newsprint. But
because of MKO, they (Buhari/Idiagbon)
escalated or let me say, they increased that duty because of his newsprint
coming on the high sea. They wanted to frustrate him because they don’t want
him to do what he intended doing. And since he has mixed with this Khaaki boys or Army or what do you call
them? Particularly (Late General) Murthala
(Mohammed) he is a very good friend of MKO.
Late General Ramat Murithala Mohammed….A bosom friend of MKO Abiola in the Army |
So, it was then that it was decided
that ‘if you know you want to make a good profit on this business
you are doing, unless you remove this people’. Because I will not deny it, MKO was part of the coup (IBB Coup).
There is no coup in this Nigeria at that time that MKO was not part of it, because they were going to use money for
those boys who are going to carry gun. So they will give them money and they
will execute the job. I was at his house that night, and he was telling us that
‘haa, tomorrow another government will take over’. And true, true,
tomorrow, another government came. Even before tomorrow. So, that is him, he
doesn’t lie, he doesn’t play to the gallery, if he says ‘this is it’, hold it.
Chief Muri Abiola to Asabeafrika…’MKO Abiola had to alter Buhari’s military government because the government attacked his business empire’ |
against him now?
The GDA with Chief Muri Abiola after the historic encounter |
he is doing, saying it is MKO that
removed him that it will take time before he can forgive him. Weather he is
going to bring MKO back from death to
come and rule Nigeria so that the
forgiveness process can take place, I don’t know what he is trying to do. So
everything is on God’s hand, it is his will. If God did not approve it, it will
not have taken place.
TV by typing GbengaDanAsabe on your YouTube app and click the ‘Subscribe’
button to register and watch the video)