General Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former military Head of State, says late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, well-known winner of the June 12 1993 Presidential election in Nigeria, died after falling ill.

He stated Abiola but not killed.

Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, he explained that this was contrary to insinuations that Abiola took tea that was apparently poisoned, prior to he handed down.

General Abdulsalami Abubakar even more explained, “Well, I smile because there were great deals of allegations here and there that we killed Abiola. As constantly when I am talking about late Abiola, I still thank God for directing me on things to do when he provided me the leadership of this country.”

He mentioned that “on the day Moshood Abiola passed away, may he rest in peace, 2 to 3 things made him always state he thanked God for the guidance He provided him, adding that he received a delegation from America headed by Pickering who was then the secretary of state or two and the group was Susan Rice.”

He included that after the typical courtesy and discussion they had, when they were leaving his workplace, Pickering stated, “Your Excellency we made a request to see Moshood Abiola but we were denied”, so I stated “Why were you rejected? who rejected you?” There and then I made a decision, I stated “Look, you will see Moshood definitely, I overruled whoever stated you can not see him”. I now called my chief security officer, I said “Please make plan for this group to see Abiola,” that is one point.”

He said that throughout the incarceration of Moshood Abiola, except his personal medical professional, to his understanding, no member of his household saw him and when he ended up being Head of State, based on consultation and interaction together with Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, he provided the household a date that they might come and see him.

He discussed that a day before he passed away, his household concerned Abuja to see him, worrying that for one reason or the other, the entire family could not see him at the exact same time, so it was concurred that when this group of his household will see him today, tomorrow the next team will see him.

He said, “So they saw him like yesterday, now this team from US came to see me and I said they could see him. Normally it remained in the evenings the household go and see him. Because I had licensed the American group to see him, so the other part of the household were waiting to see him.”

The previous Head of State mentioned that “it was at this meeting when the American group was meeting Abiola that he fell ill and suddenly the gatekeeper called the medical group to come and go to him”, including that when they saw the scenario, they stated it was serious and they required to take him to the medical centre.

He explained that it was the medical team plus the American team that took him to the medical centre, regrettably at the medical centre he gave up.

General Abdulsalami Abubakar further described that it was then his security chief called and stated, “I have problem for you”, I asked what it was, he said, “Abiola is dead”. I was surprised.

He stated his security chief told him that he existed with the American group, at that time he (former president) was remaining in the barracks, he had actually stagnated to the rental property, saying, “so I said fine, let him take the American group to my home, I will meet them at the house; so I closed from the workplace, and went there.”

The previous Head of State mentioned that the problem was how would he break the news to Abiola’s household and how do his federal government inform the world Abiola had actually handed down, stating that he needs to be glad to God and again to Ambassador Kingibe due to the fact that they contacted him and asked him to bring the family of Abiola and when they came, he broke the news.