Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Nigerian businessman, publisher, philanthropist and politician
The coalition then was a puissant movement to free jailed politician M.K.O Abiola from prison, in the process, he was jailed for his pro Abiola stance.
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola | Moshood Abiola Polytechnic | Hafsat Abiola | F. Abiola Irele | Abiola |
Abiola was the acclaimed winner of the 1993 Presidential election which was later annulled by president Ibrahim Babangida.
However, in July 1993, after the Ibrahim Babangida administration had annulled Abiola's presidential election, he said "Much as I personally admired Moshood Abiola as an individual, the idea of a southern president was unrealistic".
In October 1999, government investigations into abuses by the Abacha regime, including the assassination of Kudirat Abiola (wife of M.K.O. Abiola) in 1996 and the suspected murder of Shehu Musa Yar'Adua in detention in December 1997, resulted in the arrest of Ibrahim Coomassie and other leading figures, including Mohammed Abacha, the dictator's son.
The famed Nigerian Pastor Tunde Bakare is said to have predicted the annulment to Abiola and warned him against contesting.
However, Abiola's election was annulled and after some confusion General Sani Abacha became head of state in November 1993, replacing the civilian governors with military administrators.