A Dance of History: The University of Abuja’s 9th Assembly and the Echoes of June 12

In the hallowed halls of the University of Abuja, the 9th Assembly of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) became a stage where history, in its relentless cycle, played out a familiar script. The events that unfolded on July 18, 2024, bore an uncanny resemblance to the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election in Nigeria, where the will of the people was subverted. In this microcosm of student governance, the impeachment of Rt. Hon. Nkem Silas, the 9th Assembly Speaker, and the subsequent election of Rt. Hon. Musbaudeen Abdullahi Babatunde as his successor mirrored the triumph and tragedy of Chief MKO Abiola’s stolen mandate. History, as it often does, repeated itself—not as farce, but as a poignant reminder of the fragility of democratic will when confronted by entrenched power.

The University of Abuja’s 9th Assembly was rocked by allegations of financial impropriety against Speaker Nkem Silas. The house, in a constitutionally convened session, leveled charges of embezzlement, accusing Silas of mismanaging a 3.5 million naira take-off grant allocated to the Assembly. The accusations didn’t end there. Silas was further alleged to have unilaterally approved and withdrawn 600,000 naira for a send-forth party, an expenditure neither debated nor sanctioned by the house. These were not mere whispers but rigorously debated claims, culminating in Silas’s inability to provide a satisfactory defense. The house, acting as the voice of the students, formed a quorum and voted to impeach Silas, a decision rooted in the principles of accountability and transparency—values that resonate deeply in any democratic setting.

This moment was a testament to the students’ resolve to uphold integrity within their ranks. It was a collective stand against the misuse of power, echoing the aspirations of Nigerians who, on June 12, 1993, voted overwhelmingly for MKO Abiola in what was widely regarded as the freest and fairest election in the nation’s history. Just as Abiola’s mandate represented the people’s yearning for change, the impeachment of Silas was the students’ demand for a leadership that respected their trust.

In the wake of Silas’s impeachment, the 9th Assembly, adhering to constitutional protocols, elected Rt. Hon. Musbaudeen Abdullahi Babatunde as the new Speaker. The election was not a haphazard affair; it was a deliberate act of the house, reflecting the will of the student representatives. Musbaudeen’s ascension was a moment of triumph, akin to Abiola’s victory at the polls. Both were products of a democratic process, chosen by their peers to lead with integrity and vision. Musbaudeen, like Abiola, embodied the hope of a new dawn—a leadership accountable to its constituents.

Yet, just as Abiola’s victory was met with resistance, Musbaudeen’s election faced an immediate challenge. The then Dean of Students’ Affairs, in a move reminiscent of General Ibrahim Babangida’s annulment of the June 12 election, refused to recognize Musbaudeen’s speakership. The parallels are striking: Babangida’s annulment was not based on legal or constitutional grounds but on the whims of a military elite unwilling to cede power. Similarly, the Dean’s refusal to acknowledge Musbaudeen’s election was not rooted in any constitutional defect but in an apparent determination to thwart the students’ will. The processes were followed, the quorum was met, and the election was transparent—yet, like Abiola’s mandate, Musbaudeen’s victory was dismissed.

The annulment of June 12, 1993, remains a scar on Nigeria’s democratic conscience. Chief Humphrey Nwosu, the then INEC Chairman, would later confirm what the nation already knew: Abiola had won, fair and square. The annulment was a betrayal of the people’s voice, orchestrated to preserve the status quo. In the University of Abuja, the refusal to recognize Musbaudeen’s election as Speaker was a smaller but no less significant betrayal. It was not a question of procedure or legitimacy; it was a refusal to honor the democratic choice of the students’ representatives.

This incident raises troubling questions about the state of institutional governance, even at the university level. The Dean of Students’ Affairs, much like Babangida in 1993, wielded authority to override a legitimate process, casting doubt on the autonomy of student governance. If the students’ elected representatives cannot uphold their choices without interference, what hope is there for fostering the democratic values that universities are meant to nurture? The University of Abuja’s 9th Assembly saga is a microcosm of Nigeria’s broader struggle with democratic fidelity—a reminder that power, unchecked, will always seek to suppress the will of the many.

Yet, as the narrative of June 12 teaches us, destiny can be delayed but not denied. MKO Abiola’s struggle, though tragically cut short, became a rallying cry for democracy in Nigeria. The eventual return to civilian rule in 1999 and the recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day in 2018 are testaments to the enduring power of the people’s will. Similarly, the “handwriting on the walls,” as the narrative suggests, points to Musbaudeen as the “Abiola of our time.” His election, conducted within the bounds of the SUG constitution, stands as a beacon of legitimacy. The refusal to recognize his speakership may delay his tenure, but it cannot erase the truth of his mandate.

The University of Abuja’s 9th Assembly saga is more than a student government dispute; it is a reflection of the cyclical nature of history in Nigeria. The impeachment of Nkem Silas and the election of Musbaudeen Abdullahi Babatunde parallel the rise and fall of MKO Abiola’s mandate—a story of hope, betrayal, and resilience. It underscores the need for vigilance in protecting democratic processes, whether in national elections or student assemblies. For the students of the University of Abuja, this is a call to action: to demand accountability, to defend their choices, and to ensure that history, while it may repeat itself, does not do so at the expense of justice.

In the end, the voices of July 18, 2024, like those of June 12, 1993, will not be silenced. Musbaudeen, like Abiola, represents a truth that power cannot indefinitely suppress. History indeed, repeats itself—but it also teaches us that the will of the people when united, can rewrite a script.