Tony Anenih’s Son Defends Father’s Role in June 12 Saga,Rebukes Presidency’s Media Adviser

In a robust response to comments made by Bayo Onanuga, media adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Ose Anenih, son of the late Chief Tony Anenih, has come out strongly to defend his father’s historical role in the June 12, 1993 election controversy.

Ose Anenih described Onanuga’s portrayal of Chief Anenih’s involvement as “untrue” and expressed disappointment over the use of “uncouth language” in an official communication from the Presidency. He emphasized his intention to “rise above emotional baiting” and focus strictly on the facts.

According to Ose Anenih, after the annulment of the June 12 presidential election by then military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief MKO Abiola fled Nigeria but later returned, visiting Chief Tony Anenih, then National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in Benin City. Chief Anenih reportedly confronted Abiola over abandoning the party and its supporters during the critical post-annulment period, a claim Abiola famously dismissed with the proverb, “A bird does not tell his friends that the stone is coming.”

Ose further recounted that his father warned Abiola against trusting General Sani Abacha, cautioning that such alliances would jeopardize Abiola’s chances to reclaim his mandate. Despite this, Abiola reportedly supported Abacha’s military coup that dismantled the Interim National Government (ING), an arrangement both SDP and NRC had negotiated with the understanding that power would eventually be handed to Abiola.

Ose Anenih also addressed the relationship between his father and President Tinubu, noting that Chief Anenih acknowledged Tinubu’s early criticism of the delayed announcement of the June 12 election results. He expressed surprise at Onanuga’s framing of Tinubu’s early visit to Abacha after the coup as a mark of honor.

ADVERTISEMENT

Highlighting the availability of many surviving key figures from that era—including former heads of state and political actors—Ose suggested that the historical narrative should be revisited with care and accuracy. He offered to provide a copy of his father’s memoir, My Life and Nigerian Politics, to aid in setting the record straight.

Concluding his letter, Ose Anenih lamented the “toxicity” of revisiting a decades-old controversy and questioned its relevance to the average Nigerian today. He urged that efforts be redirected towards addressing current national challenges, such as the recent suicide bombings in Kano and Borno.

This exchange underscores the continuing sensitivity and complexity surrounding the June 12 election saga, a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s democratic history that still evokes passionate debate among political actors and historians alike.

Background:The June 12, 1993 presidential election is widely regarded as Nigeria’s fairest and freest election, won by Chief MKO Abiola. However, the military annulled the results, plunging the nation into political crisis. The roles of various political figures during this period remain contested, with ongoing debates about loyalty, betrayal, and the struggle for democracy.