Abubakar Vows To Release Political Prisoners:
Abiola To Relinquish Claim To Nigeria Presidency

Jet
July 20, 1998, p. 12

Nigeria's new military ruler, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, recently agreed to free all of the country's estimated 250 political prisoners, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said.

Former presidential candidate Moshood Abiola, the country's most prominent prisoner, indicated that he will relinquish his claim to Nigeria's presidency when he is released along with the nation's other political prisoners, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Annan was permitted to meet with Abiola by Abubakar, who assumed power when the military leader who jailed Abiola, Gen. Sani Abacha, died last month. During his visit with Abiola, Annan said that Abiola plans to end his claim to Nigeria's presidency. "He said, 'Look, I'm in jail. I'm not in touch with the outside world,'" Annan said in the Chicago Tribune, quoting Abiola. "'I suspect the world has moved on, and I'm not naive enough to make the assumption that I'm going to come out and be president. What I know is that I want to get on with my life.'"

Abiola, who has been jailed since 1994 for claiming to be Nigeria's duly elected leader, will be released on the condition that he cooperate with a military-led transition plan or return to private life, according to government sources and Abiola's family, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

A one-time billionaire tycoon, Abiola succeeded during the 1993 election in winning votes from broad sections. As a southern Yoruba, his claim to the presidency was seen as a threat by northern, Hausa-speaking elite who control the military. Thus, ruling generals annulled the election.

A year later Abiola was arrested after he defied the military regime and declared himself head of state. Abiola, charged with treason, has been held alone in one secret villa after another ever since.

When Annan met with Abiola, Annan said he found him alert and in good health.

"I found him in some ways to be more realistic than some of us on the outside," Annan said in the Chicago Tribune.