Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of the Bola Tinubu Campaign Council, has described the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola as someone who committed treason and deserved to go to jail, where he eventually died.
The remarks have drawn condemnation from Nigerians who believe Abiola paid the ultimate price for democracy following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which he was widely recognised as having won.
Reacting to Showunmi’s comments, a critic accused some of Abiola’s Yoruba kinsmen of turning against the late politician’s legacy, questioning how those who once celebrated him as a hero of democracy could now portray him as a traitor who deserved imprisonment.
The critic argued that Nigerians from other ethnic groups recognised Abiola’s sacrifices for democracy, accusing some of his kinsmen of becoming enemies of the same democratic ideals for which he was remembered.
The commentator also recalled the role of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he accused of undermining Abiola’s efforts despite benefiting from the struggle for democracy in Nigeria.
He contrasted this with the decision by former President Muhammadu Buhari to posthumously confer on Abiola the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), Nigeria’s highest national honour, arguing that the recognition affirmed Abiola’s place in the country’s democratic history.
The critic further condemned attempts to portray Abiola as a man who deserved to die in detention, insisting that his struggle for democratic governance should not be dismissed through allegations of treason.
He also warned against threats directed at the opposition, arguing that such actions could trigger consequences beyond the control of those responsible.
The commentator concluded by accusing those he believes have betrayed Abiola’s legacy of abandoning the principles of democracy, declaring that Nigeria does not belong to a group of individuals he described as criminals.
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