The family of late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has cautioned former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, against tarnishing Abacha’s image over the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

In a statement on Sunday, Mohammed Abacha, speaking for the family, criticised Babangida’s claim in his book, A Journey in Service, alleging that Abacha was responsible for annulling the election.

Describing the claim as false, the family stated, “Any attempt to shift this blame onto General Sani Abacha, who was a very senior military officer within the regime, is a deliberate distortion of historical facts. For years, various actors have attempted to rewrite the history of that critical period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.”

They argued that Abacha was neither Head of State nor Commander-in-Chief at the time, stating, “The decision to annul the election was made under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, who, as the then Head of State, held absolute executive powers and was solely responsible for the actions of his government.”

The family urged Nigerians to reject “revisionist narratives that seek to manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons.”