Fresh details from a new Abdulsalami Abubakar autobiography have reignited public interest in the tragic MKO Abiola cause of death, nearly three decades after his sudden passing shook the nation.
The former Head of State has shared an intimate insider account of the final hours of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. His sudden death in 1998 altered the course of Nigeria political history and fuelled enduring claims of foul play.
Abiola, widely regarded as the winner of the annulled June 12 election annulment, died on July 7, 1998, during a tense meeting with a visiting United States delegation in Abuja. The death triggered immediate unrest in parts of the country, particularly in Lagos, where many supporters suspected he had been poisoned.
According to excerpts from the book, scheduled for public presentation in Abuja, the former military leader maintained that an extensive international autopsy found no evidence of poisoning. Instead, the medical team concluded that Abiola died from severe, long-standing heart disease.
US Delegation Met Detained Politician Before Sudden Tragedy
The book recounts how American officials, including senior diplomat Susan Rice and former US Ambassador Tom Pickering, had travelled to Nigeria shortly after the death of General Sani Abacha. Their mission was to assess the country’s fragile political situation and seek an urgent meeting with Abiola.
Abdulsalami said he was surprised to learn the delegation had initially been denied access to the detained politician and immediately ordered arrangements for the meeting to take place. What followed remains one of the most dramatic moments in Nigeria political history.
The former military ruler recalls the exact moment the peace efforts collapsed into chaos:
“Aliyu, my CSO, called me. As soon as I picked, he said, in a shaky voice, that there was a problem. I asked: ‘What problem again?’ He said Abiola was dead. My head went blank.”
The former leader described the news as devastating. He recalled fears that the fragile efforts to steer Nigeria away from political turmoil could collapse after the unexpected tragedy.
The emotional toll extended far beyond government circles. Abdulsalami recounted the painful moment he informed Abiola’s family of the tragic news.
“When I did, one of his daughters started crying profusely and was shaking uncontrollably. I held her and placed her head over my shoulders. She was inconsolable.”
The Official Autopsy Report Disproves Poisoning Claims
As rumours spread across the country, Abiola’s family requested an immediate, independent autopsy. A team comprising Nigerian, American, British and Canadian pathologists was assembled to examine the circumstances surrounding the MKO Abiola cause of death.
Abdulsalami wrote that the findings were made public on July 11, 1998, by Canadian coroner Dr James G. Young. The report concluded that Abiola suffered from advanced cardiovascular disease marked by severe narrowing of the coronary arteries and enlargement of the heart caused by long-term hypertension. According to the medical findings, either condition could have resulted in sudden death.
The report also completely ruled out poisoning. Toxicology tests found no evidence of toxic substances, while investigators concluded that witness accounts and medical evidence did not support claims that Abiola had been deliberately killed.
Why Conspiracy Theories Persist After June 12 Election Annulment
Despite the clear medical conclusions, speculation has refused to disappear from public discourse. In his Abdulsalami Abubakar autobiography, the former general dismissed suggestions of a conspiracy. He stated he had no reason to believe anyone within government orchestrated Abiola’s death. He argued that many of the allegations gained traction years later through rumour and political narratives rather than evidence.
Questions nevertheless remain in some quarters. Former presidential aide Hamza Al-Mustapha claimed before the Oputa Panel in 2000 that he possessed video evidence showing Abiola was poisoned. The footage, however, has never been made public.
The scar of the June 12 election annulment remains deep, though some steps toward reconciliation have occurred.
IBB Apologises Privately to Abiola Family
REPORTERS AT LARGE recalls that Lekan Abiola, one of the sons of the late Moshood Abiola, confirmed that former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), had apologised for annulling the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election. Speaking at the MKO Abiola Memorial Symposium in功 Lagos, Lekan revealed that Babangida had previously extended a private apology to the Abiola family, but had now made his admission public.
