Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday said the presumed winner of the June 12 1993 presidential election, late Chief MKO Abiola was prevented from becoming president because of “bad belle”.
According to the former President, the cancellation of the June 12 election robbed Egbaland the rare opportunity of producing three Nigerian presidents at different times.
Obasanjo, who spoke in Abeokuta during his investiture as a Trustee of the Abeokuta Club, a socio-cultural organisation of Egba people of Ogun State, during which Abiola was also awarded a posthumous vice patron of the club, said Abiola richly deserved the award bestowed on him by the Club.
He said: “I want to thank the (Abeokuta) club for this honour being bestowed on me and the honour being bestowed on my school mate MKO Abiola which he richly deserved.
“Kabiyesi, the Alake (of Egbaland) alluded to it. Normally when you win a cup three times, you keep that cup. Isn’t it? If not for bad belle (hatred), Abeokuta would have produced President of Nigeria three times, in which case we should have kept it permanently.
“But be that as it may, we have a great heritage and we should be proud of our heritage.”
