Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, has accused former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido of playing a key role in the sabotage of the June 12, 1993, presidential mandate won by the late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.

Alake made the allegation during a television appearance on Sunday night while reacting to Lamido’s recent claims that President Bola Tinubu supported the annulment of the historic election.

He described Lamido’s account as false and an attempt to rewrite history, insisting that the former SDP secretary was complicit in the betrayal of Abiola’s mandate.

Alake said: “Sule Lamido himself was the guilty party to the annulment of that June 12, 1993 election.

“As secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Lamido and the party chairman at the time sold out Abiola’s mandate by endorsing the National Interim Government.”

Alake dismissed Lamido’s claim that Tinubu only became active after the annulment, stressing that Tinubu was deeply involved in the push for Abiola’s emergence as the SDP candidate at the Jos convention.

He said Tinubu was instrumental in persuading Atiku Abubakar to step down for Abiola after a stalemate in the party primaries, paving the way for Abiola’s victory.

According to the minister, Lamido’s remarks reflect either “amnesia” or “a calculated attempt to cover up his own role in that historical betrayal”.

He added that Tinubu’s mother, the late Alhaja Abibat Mogaji, never supported the annulment, contrary to Lamido’s claims.

“Alhaja Mogaji actually went to plead with the late Gen. Sani Abacha to restore MKO’s mandate,” Alake said.