June 12, 2026
By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor
THE process was crude but transparent. The organisers called it Option A4. Only two candidates stood for the election. No thumb-printing was required. Voting was done by queuing behind the candidate/party of your choice. Those on the queues were properly counted separately and figures entered into the result sheets against the respective candidates or parties.
It was as clear as daylight who won or lost. Welcome to the June 12,1993 presidential election won by late Business tycoon and politician, Chief MKO Abiola.
Conducted by then National Electoral Commission, NEC, as the electoral umpire was called, led by late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the June 12 election has, arguably, remained the freest and fairest poll in the history of electioneering in Nigeria, 33 years after.
