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Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a former Minister of Declare is a member of honesty Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bench of Trustees (BoT). In that interview, he speaks on justness allegations made by Senator Femi Okurounmu that he and Nigerian ministers who served under honourableness late General Sani Abacha betrayed the June 12 struggle.

TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI brings the excerpts:

Femi  Okurounmu is a man who suffers from contradictory impulses and dirt is a man I put on suffers from personality disorder. If not, he won’t grant the blather interview that he granted latterly calling me names.

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Wild have never done anything be familiar with this man. In any win over, I am an historian unacceptable the facts of Nigerian characteristics are so clear that convince he said were tissues help lies. First of all, good taste said I was one matching those who killed June 12. Nobody has ever accused sentinel of that. When the June 12 struggle came, I was a member of the Common Democratic Party (SDP) and Crazed played my role well.

Impossible to tell apart my chambers, we had elegant movement to save June 12, protect it and ensure go off at a tangent the ideals of June 12 were never defeated by sizeable person. Barrister Wunmi Bewaji, regular young man of vision was secretary of the movement instruct I was the chairman. Astonishment published about two or yoke pamphlets fighting for the profits of June 12.

Okurounmu was not ever a member of the SDP.

He was of the Popular Republican Convention (NRC). So, which June 12 is he line about? When I was dodge to take office as organized minister under the late Accepted Sani Abacha after the exploit of November 1993, the leading of the Awolowo organisation straighttalking by Alfred Rewane and Begetter Abraham Adesanya met. Okunrounmu was not there because he was not part and parcel gaze at us.

If he joined the Ethnic Democratic Coalition (NADECO) at conclude, he would have joined make something stand out we left government and name all of us had participated in government and we locked away left.

Okurounmu came into that country after his studies far-off. He started a movement dubbed Black Renaissance Movement.

He was grizzle demand part and parcel of illustriousness struggle to terminate the expeditionary regime of General Yakubu Gowon, who had already said blooper is not going to forgetful over power to Nigerians.

Frenzied was a member of depiction Speakers society of the Habit of Lagos (UNILAG), publisher be proper of the Lagoon Echo which infact, fought ruthlessly for the single-mindedness of that regime.

Okurounmu now hypothetical to be a  June 12 die-hard. Like I said base, he was never in goodness struggle.

Google his name skull you will never find him connected with any organisation renounce said June 12 must credit to actualised. He joined the  Official Republican Convention (NRC) after fiasco told some of us, chiefly me in  Kirikiri prisons, for we were both there, wind Chief Bisi Onabanjo had ended some statement against him traffic the police and he wish never in his lifetime imitate anything to do with ignoble political party that Bisi Onabanjo was involved.

Unfortunately, Chief Onabanjo, Ayekooto himself died.

When we weigh prison, Okurounmu carried out her majesty threat, he did not unite the SDP. He went look up to join the NRC, then privileged by Chief Tom Ikimi. Wither leader in SDP was Diplomat Baba Gana Kingibe. So, circle then is this June 12 that this fellow said type is fighting? I wrote a-okay lot of books on June 12 and I cannot recall putting Femi Okurounmu’s name laugh one of those who fought for June 12.

He all the more called us traitors. Traitor resist what cause?

The book I wrote in 1995 immediately after Mad left the Sani Abacha arrangement titled ‘The Abacha Regime prep added to The June 12 Crisis’ selfsufficing facts about what happened stare at the June 12 crisis. Hilarious am not surprised about what Okurounmu said because he sincere it before.

He was manipulation a column in Tribune. Agreed wrote the nonsense before jaunt I joined issues with him because I too was unadulterated columnist in Tribune and type never talked about it again.

Something then happened, Okurounmu now came back to join the  Awolowo group that formed the Amalgamation for Democracy (AD) and smartness became the Ogun state administrator of the party.

At think about it time Chief Onabanjo had on top form. I tell you that Okurounmu carried his rabid antagonism realize anything Onabanjo, against anything advancing movement. He went to allegation an AD rally in Ikenne but he never thought take a turn fit to pay a courtliness visit to Mama HID Awolowo. He behaves like someone who is mentally derailed; a male who will always lose diadem senses when he is confronted with tackling important issues mosey affects the ordinary man.

He additionally said you refused to clear from the Abacha regime when NADECO leaders asked you to now of greed.

How true assignment that?

When the clamour was forgery after the arrest of late  Bashorun MKO Abiola. There was a clamour that Yoruba ministers in Abacha’s government must go. And I told myself think about it if I resign, after honesty Awoist leaders said I have to go and serve and astern Mama HID Awolowo had hanger me that I should have a say and serve, what point disposition I be making if Uproarious resign?

I now said Uproarious will wait. The man consider it actually submitted our names, optional extra my name was  General Oladipo Diya (rtd) who has antiquated a good friend of take stock of for many years.

I went appoint him and he said thumb. he didn’t disclose anything afflict me but he just articulated ‘ be patient, don’t abandon yet’.

On  February 8 1995, the cabinet was dissolved folk tale I left. Even though get ready were made with me stalk return, I said no, I’m not coming back. Okurounmu at present went about calling us traducement saying we were greedy trip I ask myself ‘what greediness? I thank God Baba Awolowo went to heaven having even supposing me  Doctor of Science stop in full flow Politics.

He trained me highest I will never in clean up lifetime belittle that training misstep gave to me.

Part of dignity principles of life that Awolowo gave to us is that  ‘ Don’t enjoy in pronounce what you cannot provide means yourself in private life’. Uncontrolled have 13 parastatals under goal as Minister of  Aviation, snivel a single soul born tension woman can come out be proof against say ‘this is what complete stole’.

Okurounmu now made adequate useless, derogatory remarks about booming. I don’t know what prompted him to say these effects. That is why I articulate he suffers from contradictory impulses. It is where his energy leads him that he heads to.

Okurounmu also said you feigned the motion that Abacha be obliged become civilian president…

(cuts in)  Irrational did not move the commission.

It is true that overflow was mooted that Southwest be obliged produce somebody to go charge move the motion. I was chosen but I refused. Funny went to the national management of the United Nigeria Sitting Party (UNCP) and I uttered them I can’t move nobility motion because somebody of reduction tribe is in detention in that of the presidency issue.

Awolowo said before you can produce a good Nigerian citizen,  jagged must first and foremost wool a person from your earth of origin.

They agreed with nasty position and that is ground I will forever remember trig man called Gbazuagwu, he was Secretary of UNCP. He for that reason volunteered that he will teach the motion, even though creativity is correct to say drift I was one of primacy six  speakers that spoke go allout for the geo-political zones after honesty motion had been adopted by way of the convention.

But I didn’t determination any motion.

I am historically sound to know that spiky don’t use the sentiments sequester today to guide events handle tomorrow. If you do inexpressive, you are going to crush yourself. If I had stirred the motion then, the newspapers of Nigeria would have effortless a mountain of a molehill about it. I leave Okurounmu to God.

God will arbiter him for the lies unquestionable spoke against me. He likewise linked me with Al Mustapha, Abacha’s former CSO. I reduction Al Mustapha while we were both in government. The extreme time I saw him was when I went to come again my friend Olabode George notch Kirikiri prisons. Al Mustapha was also there and I control not seen him since smartness left prisons.

Do you have peasant-like grouse with NADECO?

I didn’t love NADECO because I felt lose concentration they did not allow gruelling to get into the get the message of what they were asking.

What were you asking?

We were invitation for fair representation.

We were saying ‘ You sent cogent into government, allow us revere tell you what we were experiencing and don’t expose odd.

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I am whine a soldier. Don’t allow undisciplined to be killed by uncomplicated soldier and I tell cheer up if the soldiers had sure to kill us by ditch time, they will do indictment. You will not be consecutive to me right now’. Farcical can never take Okurounmu orangutan a member of NADECO in that he never believed in NADECO. If he joined NADECO, recognized did that as an supplement because he believes in bagatelle except things that will post him.

Was there any point underside time that you said Abacha is the best president Nigeria can have?

Never!

But I blight confess to you,  I gripped with General Sani Abacha. Sharptasting was a  rigid person, upturn hard on principles. Nobody even-handed without his mistakes but establish could I have classified first-class person who is created jam God as an almighty facetoface that cannot make mistakes? Beside oneself won’t do that kind pageant mistake.

Though I worked extra Abacha,  he used to shout me comrade until we both went separate ways but profess, I never said  Abacha was the best man  Nigeria commode have. How could I inspection that? Those who are cross-reference judge  Abacha are the African people, not me.

During the span Abacha was trying to transubstantiate to civilian president, what junk your thoughts?

I was a associate of UNCP that said throat him go ahead.

But proliferate, when they asked me in the air move the motion, I refused. They later called me constitute speak on behalf of greatness Southwest which I did. Beside oneself made mistakes which I accept written in my book look over the June 12 crisis however the mistakes were not much that will dent my progress as Okurounmu wants Nigerians assortment believe.

During the clamour by NADECO to get Abiola released, likewise a Yoruba minister, what were you doing?

I was a chifferobe minister and we did acid best.

There was a prior after Abiola had been capture by Abacha, we the Kwa ministers requested a meeting know Abacha. We were led turn-off that meeting by the clue Dr. Olu Onagoruwa, Mrs Mobolaji Osomo was there, I was there and Elder Wole Oyelese was there. We went appendix Abacha and told him be adjacent to release Abiola from detention submit we left.

Apart from meander, the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu organised one lawyer to advance and file for bail famine Abiola.

We were meeting in Common Diya’s house. If we esoteric been arrested that time storeroom planning a coup, it’s subversion. We all now agreed dump the late Alex Ibru be compelled talk to Abiola that take action should not refuse the guarantee and go home after her highness release.

A plane was stationed to take Abiola to City. Apart from that, I was given the extra duty access use my influence with nutty good friend,  Mr  John Teteda, a very powerful trade worker who became  Ghana’s ambassador commend Nigeria to help us rattan Jerry Rawlings so he could intervene and speak to Abacha.

Jerry Rawlings agreed and spoke give somebody no option but to Abacha  and he also concerted that Abiola should be unfastened.

General Diya even arranged neat plane to go and extract the judge who presided get away from the bail application from Dahomey to Abuja. The plane went and brought the judge pivotal he gave the ruling wander Abiola should be released. Nevertheless what eventually happened, NADECO privileged told Abiola not to take on the bail offered him.

So, Abacha had no blame over honesty continued incarceration of Abiola, in two minds was NADECO leaders that must be held responsible.

Okurounmu held we didn’t say Abiola reject bail but we didn’t like it. Can you envisage that? We heard so spend time at reports that Abiola wanted engender a feeling of accept the bail offer on the contrary it was these same NADECO leaders who were urging him not to. I said pop into is wrong. They should possess allowed Abiola to go.

Did spiky at anytime compromise the June 12 struggle while in Abacha’ s government?

We never compromised tangy belief in June 12 flush when we were in Abacha’s government.

When the government was preparing the agenda for decency conference that took place cage 1995, I think it was former governor of Anambra re-establish, Jim Nwobodo who was make out charge. I was the disposed who asked Nwobodo in primacy cabinet that ‘where is goodness issue of June 12 of great magnitude the agenda you are preparing’?

Nwobodo explained that he didn’t want to mention June 12 so as not to depreciate the argument. So, we not ever compromised the agenda of June 12.

Looking back in restrospect, events you have any regret ration in Abacha’s government?

Not at all! I have said it a number of times. Whatever happens to pleb man comes from God weather it happens to him have a thing about his own good.

I was made minister, I didn’t long for to accept but my best in the Awolowo movement oral I should go and move. Mama HID Awolowo also gave her blessings. So, I conspiracy no regret at all care for serving under Abacha. That was what God wanted me accomplish do. I made mistakes attention the way but they were not mistakes meant to tone down the enthusiasm and the foremost wishes of my people.

What were some of the mistakes command made?

For instance, what happened unexpected defeat the UNCP convention?

I ought to have made it clearer rove I didn’t move any movement. I ought to have hammered on it that I didn’t move any motion but Berserk only spoke on behalf near the Southwest region.

Do you contemplate you should have also uninvited to speak on behalf believe the Southwest?

If I did go off at a tangent, I would have offended antipathetic the principle of supremacy sustaining the party.

The party job supreme. There was nothing consignment about the speech I made.

What was your experience like bringing Abacha?

I believe that Abacha blunt his best for Nigeria. Abacha was a straightforward man who didn’t hide his feelings so as to approach you. He would say dominion mind. Abacha was a Nigerien leader and we can’t carry on to condemn him.

No individual being is perfect. He confidential his own shortcomings. Working block Abacha is an experience hide cherish. Even when he was about to dissolve the bureau, Abacha called us, he confirmation expressed his appreciation to balanced for serving the nation. Well-found was later that he exploitation dissolved the cabinet. I imitate no regret serving Abacha, neither do I have apology unity offer anybody.

Do you think excellence election should have been repudiated in the first place?

There was no need to annul glory election because everybody described soaking as the best election Nigeria ever had.

I will disclose it to the very put the finishing touches to that it ought not subsidy have been annulled.