By Eteteonline
The public called on the government, especially the president, to step in and end the deadlock. The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate President signed a statement pleading with the President to “direct the National Electoral Commission to release the results of the presidential election without further delay in the interest of the unity, peace, and stability of this our great nation.” According to reports, President Babangida favored the legal system’s due process.
On June 23 and 24, however, the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) scheduled sessions to discuss national matters, such as the impasse in the presidential election. On June 22, Mr. Clement Akpamgbo, the Secretary (Minister) for Justice, stated: “The government is not insensitive to what is happening. Luckily, by tomorrow, the National Security and Defence Council will meet on this matter. Nobody is happy about what is going on.”
On June 23, 1993, the NDSC convened, but the country was unprepared for the outcome of its decision. The election was declared void by the federal government. All ongoing cases in the High Courts and Court of Appeal concerning the presidential election were scrapped, according to a Special Statement issued in Abuja by the Press Secretary to the Vice President.
Two decrees, Numbers 52 of 1992 and 13 of 1993, intended to install a democratically chosen president, were annulled. The statement continued:
“All acts or omissions done or purported to have been done, or to be done by any person, authority etc. under the above-named Decrees are hereby declared invalid. The National Electoral Commission is hereby suspended. All acts or omissions done or purported to be done by itself, its officers or agents under the repealed Decree No. 13 of 1993 are hereby nullified.”
President Babangida spoke to the country on June 26, 1993, regarding the NDSC’s decision to void the election. He said that the two candidates broke the rules by spending more than two billion naira during the primaries. He said that despite the election’s widespread praise for being free and fair, it was tainted by anomalies. A conflict of interest between both candidates and the government, “which would compromise their positions and responsibilities were they to become president,” was another point raised by President Babangida.
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