Full Inaugural Address of President MKO Abiola as
Delivered on June 11, 1994 at Epetedo, Lagos
People of Nigeria, exactly one year ago, you turned
out in your millions to vote for me, Chief M.K.O.
Abiola, as the President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. But politicians in uniform, who call
themselves soldiers but are more devious than any
civilian would want to be, deprived you of your God-
given right to be ruled by the President you had
yourselves elected.
These soldier-politicians introduced into our body
politic, a concept hitherto unknown to our political
lexicography, something strangely called the
“annulment” of an election perceived by all to have
been the fairest, cleanest and most peaceful ever
held in our nation.
Since that abominable act of naked political armed
robbery occurred, I have been constantly urged by
people of goodwill, both in Nigeria and abroad, to put
the matter back into the people’s hands and get
them to actualise the mandate they gave me at the
polls. But mindful of the need to ensure that peace
continues to reign in our fragile federation, I have so
far tried to pursue sweet reason and negotiation.
My hope has always been to arouse whatever
remnants of patriotism are left in the hearts of
these thieves of your mandate, and to persuade
them that they should not allow their personal desire
to rule to usher our beloved country into an era of
political instability and economic ruin.
All I have sought to do, in seeking dialogue with
them, has been to try and get them to realise that
only real democracy can move our nation forward
towards progress, and earn her the respect she
deserves from the international community.
However, although this peaceful approach has
exposed me to severe censure by some who have
mistaken it for weakness on my part, those with
whom I have sought to dialogue have remained like
stones, neither stirred to show loyalty to the
collective decision of the people of their own
country, nor to observe Allah’s injunction that they
should exhibit justice and fair-play in all their
dealings with their fellowmen.
Appeals to their honour as officers and gentlemen of
the gallant Nigerian Armed Forces, have fallen on
deaf ears. Instead, they have resorted to the tactics
of divide and rule, bribery and political perfidy,
misinformation and (vile) propaganda. They arrest
everyone who disagrees with them. Even the 71-
year old hero of our nation, Chief Anthony Enahoro,
was not spared. How much longer can we tolerate
all this? People of Nigeria, you are all witnesses that
I have tried to climb the highest mountain, cross the
deepest river and walk the longest mile, in order to
get these men to obey the will of our people.
There is no humiliation I have not endured, no snare
that has not been put in my path, no “setup” that
has not been designed for me in my endeavour to
use the path of peace to enforce the mandate that
you bestowed on me one year ago. It has been a
long night. But the dawn is here.
Today, people of Nigeria, I join you all in saying,
“Enough is Enough!” We have endured 24 years of
military rule in our 34 years of independence.
Military rule has led to our nation fighting a civil war
with itself. Military rule has destabilised our nation
today as not before in its history. Military rule has
impoverished our people and introduced a dreadful
trade in drugs which has made our country’s name
an anathema in many parts of the world. Even
soccer fans going to watch the Green Eagles display
in America are being made to suffer there
needlessly because Nigeria’s name is linked with
credit card and fraud and “419.” Politically, military
rule has torn to shreds the prestige due to our
country because of its size and population.
The permanent seat at the United Nations Security
Council that should be rightfully ours, is all but lost.
For who will vote for Nigeria to get the seat if
Nigerian military rulers do not respect the votes of
their own people?
Enough of military rule. We are sickened to see
people who have shown little or no personal
achievement, either in building up private
businesses, or making success of any tangible thing,
being placed in charge of the management of our
nation’s economy, by rulers who are not
accountable to anyone.
Enough of square pegs in round holes. We are tired
of then military repetitive tendency to experiment
with our economy: Today, they say “no controls.”
Tomorrow; they say “Full controls”. The day after,
they say “Fine tuning”.
The next day, they say “Devaluation.” A few days
later, they say “Revalue the same naira upwards
again Abi?” All we can see are the consequences of
this permanent game of military “about turns;” high
inflation, a huge budget deficit and an enormous
foreign debt repayment burden, dying industries, high
unemployment and a demoralised populace.
Our youths, in particular, can see no hope on the
horizon, and many can only dream of escaping from
our shores to join the brain drain. Is this the Nigeria
we want? We are plagued also by periodic balance
of payments crises, which have led to a perennial
shortage of essential drugs, that has turned our
hospitals and clinics into mortuaries.
A scarcity of books and equipment has rendered our
schools into desolate deserts of ignorance. Our
factories are crying for machinery, spare parts and
raw materials. But each day that passes, instead of
these economic diseases being cured, they are
rather strengthened as an irrational allocation of
foreign exchange based on favouritism and
corruption becomes the order of the day.
Enough is enough of economic mismanagement!
People of Nigeria, during the election campaign last
year, I presented you with a programme entitled
“HOPE ’93. This programme was aimed precisely at
solving these economic (problems) that have
demoralised us all. I toured every part of Nigeria to
present this programme to you the electorate. I was
questioned on it at public rallies and press
conferences and I had the privilege of incorporating
into it much of the feedback that I obtained from
the people.
Because you knew I would not only listen to you but
deliver superb results from the programme, you
voted for me in your millions and gave me an
overwhelming majority over my opponent. To be
precise, you gave me 58.4 per cent of the popular
vote and a majority in 20 out of 30 states plus the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Not only that, you
also enabled me to fulfill the constitutional
requirement that the winner should obtain one-third
of the votes in two-thirds of the states.
I am sure that when you cast an eye on the
moribund state of Nigeria today, you ask yourselves:
“What have we done to deserve this, when we have
a president- elect who can lead a government that
can change things for the better? Our patience has
come to an end.
As of now, from this moment, a new Government of
National Unity is in power throughout the length and
breadth of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, led by
me, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, as President and
Commander-in-Chief. The National Assembly is
hereby reconvened. All dismissed governors are
reinstated.
The State Assemblies are reconstituted, as are all
local government councils. I urge them to adopt a bi-
partisan approach to all the issues that come before
them. At the national level, a bi-partisan approach
will be our guiding principle. I call upon the usurper,
General Sani Abacha, to announce his resignation
forthwith, together with the rest of his illegal ruling
council. We are prepared to enter into negotiations
with them to work out the mechanics for a smooth
transfer of power.
I pledge that if they hand over quietly, they will be
retired with all their entitlements, and their positions
will be accorded all the respect due to them. For
our objective is neither recrimination nor witch-
hunting, but an enforcement of the will of the
Nigerian people, as expressed in free elections
conducted by the duly constituted authority of the
time.
I hereby invoke the mandate bestowed upon me by
my victory in the said election, to call on all
members of the Armed Forces and the Police, the
Civil and Public Services throughout the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, to obey only the Government of
National Unity that is headed by me, your only
elected President.
My Government of National Unity is the only
legitimate, constituted authority in the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, as of now. People of Nigeria,
these are challenging times in the history of our
continent, Africa, and we in Nigeria must not allow
ourselves to be left behind. Our struggle is the same
as that waged by the people of South Africa, which
has been successfully concluded, with the
inauguration of Mr. Nelson Mandela as the first
African President of that country.
Nelson Mandela fought to replace MINORITY rule
with MAJORITY rule. We in Nigeria are also fighting
to replace MINORITY rule, for we are ruled by only a
tiny section of our armed forces. Like the South
Africans, we want MAJORITY rule today, that is rule
only by those chosen by all the people of Nigeria as
a whole in free and fair elections.
The only difference between South Africa and
Nigeria is that those who imposed minority rule on
the majority rule whether it is by black or white,
remains minority rule, and must be booted out. I call
on you, heroic people of Nigeria, to emulate the
actions of your brothers and sisters in South Africa
and stand up as one person to throw away the yoke
of minority rule for ever.
The antics of every minority that oppresses the
majority are always the same. They will try to
intimidate you with threats of police action. But do
not let us fear arrest. In South Africa, so many
people were arrested, during the campaign against
the Pass Laws, for instance, that the jails could not
hold all of them. Today, apartheid is gone forever.
So, let it be with Nigeria. Let us say goodbye forever
to minority rule by the military. They talk of treason.
But haven’t they heard of the Rivonia treason trial in
South Africa? Did those treason trials halt the march
of history? People of Nigeria, our time is now. You
are the repository of power in the land.
No one can give you power. It is yours. Take it!
From this day, show to the world that anyone who
takes the people of Nigeria for fools is deceiving
himself and will have the people to answer to. God
bless you all. Long live the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. Long live the Government of National Unity.

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