The son of late Chief Tony Anenih, Ose Anenih has faulted has the account of his father’s involvement in June 12 given by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
Onanuga had described claims by a former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido as “a distortion of history and a regrettable attempt at revisionism.”
He said Lamido and Tony Anenih teamed up with the defeated National Republican Convention to deny Abiola his mandate.
He said, “It is important to remind Nigerians that Alhaji Lamido, as secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)—the party whose candidate, MKO Abiola, won the June 12 election—was among those who failed to oppose the military’s injustice. The SDP leadership, including Lamido and chairman Tony Anenih, wrote their names in the book of infamy by surrendering the people’s mandate without resistance.
“To their eternal shame, Lamido and Anenih teamed up with the defeated National Republican Convention to deny Abiola his mandate.”
Reacting, Ose said what Onanuga said about the late statesman’s role in June 12 was untrue.
Ose expressed disappointment that so much energy was being expended in retelling a tale of more than 30 years old, wondering what relevance such would have to average Nigerian.
Writing on X handle, Ose Anenih said, “Your account of my father’s involvement in June 12 is, to put it politely, untrue. It is disappointing that you chose to use uncouth language to describe Chief Tony Anenih, and in an official communication from ‘the Presidency,’ no less.
“I will rise above the emotional baiting that this conversation has clearly sparked and will speak only to the truth. I will also assume that your mischaracterisation of historical events stems from ignorance, not malice.”
He recalled that his father, Tony Anenih, warned Abiola that his close dealings with Abacha would destroy his chances of reclaiming his mandate.
“Chief Abiola initially fled the country after the annulment of the June 12 presidential elections by Gen. Babangida. You mentioned that MKO eventually returned. When he did, one of his first visits was to my father, then National Chairman of the SDP, in Benin City.
“True to form, my father confronted Abiola. He accused him, to his face, of abandoning the party and its supporters in the immediate aftermath of the annulment while they risked lived and limbs defending his mandate.
Ose said his late father acknowledged how Tinubu spoke out against the delay in announcing the June 12 election results.
“Now, I am not aware of any animosity that ever existed between my father and President Tinubu.
“It was the only time he mentioned Tinubu in his 260 page book.
“I have no personal knowledge of what role your principal played after that, though I find it curious that you consider his early visit to Abacha, immediately after a coup to remove the ING he (MKO) helped birth, a mark of honour.
“Like Lamido said, many of the key players in that chapter of our history like IBB, Abdulsalami, Oyegun, Ikimi, Mark, Ayu, Dele Momodu, and others – including Kola, MKO’s son – are still alive. We are also fortunate that my father wrote his own version of events before he passed.”
Ose said it was unfortunate he had to defend his father’s name against what he described as “a lie issued in the name of the President.”
“It is however unfortunate that I have had to defend my father’s name against a lie, and doubly unfortunate that that lie was issued in the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I had hoped that this level of toxicity left with the former occupant of your office.
“I am happy to send you a copy of my father’s memoir, My Life and Nigerian Politics, to help you avoid this sort of ahistorical misadventure in future.”
