Nigerian Afrobeat star Seun Kuti has claimed that the annulment of the 1993 presidential election was the result of a financial dispute between former Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), and the presumed winner, MKO Abiola.
In an Instagram Live session, Kuti alleged that a clash over money—specifically linked to former Liberian President Samuel Doe—played a key role in IBB’s decision to annul the election. "There were rumors that Samuel Doe’s money caused a fight between IBB and Abiola, leading to Babangida denying him the presidency,” Kuti explained.
Abiola, who contested under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), was widely expected to win before the election was controversially voided, leading to his eventual arrest and imprisonment.
Kuti also touched on the mysterious 1986 death of journalist Dele Giwa, suggesting Giwa was killed to prevent him from exposing a prominent Nigerian involved in drug trafficking. He pointed out that the drug trade has long been an issue involving Nigeria’s elite, with several public figures compromised.
These explosive claims revisit the long-standing controversies surrounding two pivotal figures in Nigeria’s history.