Hafsat Abiola-Costello, daughter of the late MKO Abiola and Kudirat Abiola, has welcomed former military leader Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s (Rtd.) confession that MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Speaking at the launch of Babangida’s memoir in Abuja, Hafsat expressed relief that his admission would finally put to rest doubts about that historic day. “For those that kept expressing doubt that Nigerians had spoken so decisively on that day, I’m glad that General IBB’s admission that MKO won the election can now lay the matter to rest,” she stated.
In a statement released on Friday morning, Hafsat reflected on the enduring significance of June 12, noting that the day evokes memories of her parents, MKO and Kudirat Abiola.
However, she stressed that June 12 transcends individual legacies, representing the collective hope of Nigerians for a more unified and prosperous nation. “MKO may have been the symbol of the Hope ’93 campaign, but June 12 was about more than one man—it was about the promise of Nigeria that would deliver for Nigerians,” she explained.
While expressing her deep disappointment over the annulment of that landmark election—a decision she described as an unjust truncation of a historic moment—Hafsat also conveyed heartfelt gratitude for the courage and commitment shown by her parents.
“But I will be forever grateful to both MKO and Kudi for not allowing their fears for their personal safety stand in the way of the people’s desire for a better Nigeria. May such commitment endure,” she added.
