The family of late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, has said that former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, was far from the truth when he said the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election died as a result of illness.
One of the children of late Abiola, Jamiu, was quoted by Daily Trust as having faulted the General, just as Femi Falana (SAN), also did.
Jamiu said as quoted by Daily Trust: “This incident happened over 24 years ago.
“General Abdulsalami is much older.
“I used to think that age would come with more honesty, but this is obviously not the case here.
“He said that unlike late General Sani Abacha he made arrangements for the family of my father to see him.
“Can anyone first of all ask him why it took almost a month for any family member to see him?
“Other political prisoners were being released all along but yet a visit was too much to ask for.
“When we speak of death, one can be liable in two ways.
“If you kill a person directly like in the case of my mother who, as you know, was shot by Sergeant Rogers acting on behalf of the then military government.
“Or if you kill someone indirectly by allowing the person to die as in the case of my father during General Abdulsalami.
“Trying to pin down my father’s death on poison would be a waste of time since there was an autopsy report and it did not state poison as the cause of his death even though there is still a possibility.
“But my father did have heart problems and the head of state knew that.
“The general public knew.
“Even those who saw him the night before his death said he was not well so why was he not given proper medical attention?”
Reacting to Abdulsalami’s statement that God’s guidance helped him to handle the tense situation in the country at that time, Jamiu said: “God provides guidance to those who seek it, but those who do not will be guided by the devil.
“In this case, the general was not being guided by God’s guidance.
“If he was being guided by God, why did he allow the then UN Secretary General, Kofi Anan, to see my father before any family member?
“Did my father even know who Kofi Anan was?
“My mother had been murdered in cold blood; would it not have been the priority of a head of state being guided by God to allow her children see their father after such a tragic loss?
“We were never allowed to see him.
“General Abdulsalami was more interested in getting diplomats to talk to my father and persuade him to relinquish his mandate so that he (Abdulsalami) could enjoy a more legitimate stay in power.
“This world might be a circus to the former head of state, but let’s see what the hereafter has in store for him.”
Falana was also quoted by Daily Trust as having said “It has never happened in Nigeria’s history that foreigners will be allowed to give tea to a detainee, but now, it has become part of our history.
“In any case, even if it is water that you have to serve the detainee, you have to taste it first.How can you tell us that you left Abiola in the custody of foreigners?
“So, the General has to explain why Abiola was left in the hands of foreigners.”
