My Participations: Bisi Akande silent to mention that Buhari jailed him for 44 years over ‘corruption’ in 1984; Nigerians react

Nigerians have reacted to the book titled ‘My Participation’ written by Bisi Akande, former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that silence to mention President Muhammadu jailed him for 44 years over ‘corruption’ in 1984.

In his autobiography, the former governor narrated how the military coup of December 31, 1983, toppled the government of former President Shehu Shagari and ended the second republic.

Akande said on January 2, 1984, he heard an announcement on the radio that all public officials like governors, their deputies, legislators and commissioners that served between 1979 and 1983 should report at the state police headquarters at Eleyele, Ibadan, Oyo state.

Akande had previously served as secretary to the state government (SSG) and deputy governor to Bola Ige, former governor of Oyo.

AN AUTHOR’S SILENCE ON DICTATOR BEHIND HIS PRISON ORDEAL

“Early in the morning of Saturday, December 31, 1983, my radio strangely began to play martial music which attracted my attention. It was a military coup and the announcer introduced himself as Brigadier Sani Abacha,” Akande wrote.

“On the morning of January 4, 1984, I reported to the police headquarters at Eleyele where I met a crowd of top UPN and NPN leaders. Suddenly, we had become men and women of yesterday and the policemen on duty treated us with little respect.

“Most of us were panicky and sad. At last, the mini-buses arrived at the premises of the Nigerian Maximum Security Prisons in Kirikiri and we were ordered to disembark. That day, some of the fallen big men of yesterday wept like babies.

“One day, former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme joined us in Kirikiri. He appeared visibly perplexed, shaken with emotion and he wept bitterly as he was shoved into his cell on our floor. Unlike the Vice-President, President Shagari was being detained in a luxurious Federal Government Guest House in Ikoyi.”

In the autobiography, the author was, however, silent on the military dictator who masterminded the coup and headed the new government. It was Major-General Muhammadu Buhari.

JAILED FOR 42 YEARS

Akande said he was later granted temporary bail with a warning not to talk to the press or travel out of the country.

He was again hurled into Agodi prison after he addressed the press to defend Bola Ige following a $12 million contract scam levelled against the former governor by the military authorities.

Nigeria News: Governor withdrew N60 billion in cash from his state – EFCC

“My reaction embarrassed the military government and it immediately ordered my re-arrest. I was declared wanted on the radio and my name was broadcast intermittently. I surrendered myself again on Friday, March 30, 1984,” the author wrote.

“Decrees were also promulgated suspending some parts of the constitution dealing with fair hearing and human rights, especially Chapter IV. The decrees stipulated a minimum of 21-years imprisonment for convicted persons.

“It was a perverse endorsement for a regime that had toppled the constitution and abrogated the citizen’s right to defend their fundamental human rights before the courts. I braced myself for the ordeal ahead.”

According to him, he and Ige were made to face secret trials at the military tribunal in Mokola Barracks, Ibadan, Oyo state.

“On the 16th October 1984, Chief Bola Ige and I were found guilty on a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful enrichment of our political party — the UPN. The tribunal sentenced each of us to twenty-one years imprisonment on each count to run concurrently. The immediate import of that judgement to me was that I was being jailed for forty-two (42) years.”

“THINGS BEGAN TO HAPPEN QUICKLY THEREAFTER”

The author was later released on August 16, 1986, after Ibrahim Babangida, a general, ousted Buhari in another coup the previous year.

In subsequent, chapters Akande said he convinced Bola Tinubu, former Lagos governor, to support Buhari as the presidential candidate of their newly-formed party.

Akande said he was convinced of Buhari’s “pious personal integrity and charisma”.

“In the new year of 2013…It was my first time meeting Buhari in his home and I was attracted to his personal values and austere life. We joined him at lunch, chatted heartily and agreed to work together again. Things began to happen quickly thereafter,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Nigerians reacted over Akande did not mentioning that President Buhari jailed him for 44 years in his book launch on Thursday.

See the reaction:

Former media aide of the former governor Ayo Fayose, Lere Olayinka wrote on his Facebook account said “In Bisi Akande’s book, “My Participation”, did he mention that Buhari jailed him for 44 years in 1984 for corruption?  I’m just asking…”

@Taiwo M. Onaolapo, “This old man sef, does he suppose to near where Buhari is? They sell us for their personal pocket… They even know Buhari more than we do and they pretend..”

@Olá Emmanuel Adeyeye, “He shouldn’t forget to mention the number of sacked civil servants who died in Osun..”

@Prince Olanrewaju Tapere, “The man who just write a book for writing sake, is old and confessing his sins not all agbalagba lagba won ma name like who is supporting useless leader to disrupt this country.”

@Obinna Steve, “No one washes his dirty clothes outside, that’s why d are politicians. He knows why he was jailed and d Man that jailed him are enjoying d loot with him.”

@Ayodele Micheal, “Let’s Baba Akande come out public and deny that Buhari does not send him to prison.

@Peter Izuagie Eshemokhai, “….It is not part of his history again..there was no proper documentation”.

@Kelly Tefiemine, “No, he did not participate in prison. Two very shameless human relics, thinking we don’t think”.

@Anthony Ezimah, “Hahahaha! He mischievously forgot”.

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