Jamiu Abiola, the son of the late MKO Abiola, has declared that those responsible for his parents’ deaths should not seek forgiveness from the family because they have not admitted their wrongdoing.
MKO Abiola, the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, passed away on July 7, 1998. His wife, Kudirat Abiola, was assassinated in Lagos on June 4, 1996, while her husband was still in detention.
In an interview with Findwhosabi, Jamiu expressed that the family doesn’t need to forgive Nigeria as a whole because it was specific individuals who were responsible for his parents’ deaths, not the entire country. He suggested that those individuals could seek forgiveness from God, but the family would not consider forgiving them until they admitted their wrongdoing. Jamiu expressed confidence that justice would be served, and his parents’ souls would find peace through divine means.
When asked about the family’s well-being since the tragic incidents, Jamiu, who serves as the Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, Office of the Vice President, noted that they are doing as well as they can. He acknowledged the crucial support provided by matriarch Mrs. Adebisi Abiola, Mrs. Doyin Abiola, and other family members, as well as prominent figures like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Olusegun Osoba.
Regarding entitlements from the Federal Government, especially after former President Muhammadu Buhari affirmed in 2018 that Abiola won the annulled election, Jamiu explained that it took nearly 18 years for the government to recognize the significance of June 12 as a historic date. He expressed optimism that his father would soon receive the entitlements accorded to other presidents, and Abiola’s running mate, Amb Babagana Kingibe, would also receive the entitlements of a vice president, as their victory was a joint one.