On June 12, 1993, Nigeria held its first presidential election since the 1983 military coup.
Moshood Kashimawo Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) faced Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC).
Unofficial results showed Abiola winning decisively with 8,341,309 votes to Tofa’s 5,952,087.
He carried most states, including Tofa’s home state of Kano, and became the first Southern Muslim to secure a national mandate.
Local and international observers called it Nigeria’s freest and fairest election to date.
On June 23, the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the results, citing irregularities.
In his memoir, Babangida later claimed the annulment was carried out by forces led by Sani Abacha without his direct authority.
The decision sparked nationwide protests. Babangida stepped down in August 1993, handing power to an interim government. That arrangement collapsed when Abacha seized power in November 1993.
