Former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has called on President Bola Tinubu to close the chapter on June 12 by settling an alleged N45 billion debt owed to the family of the late Chief MKO Abiola.

Speaking at the launch of his autobiography Being True to Myself, held at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja, Lamido said the payment would symbolically redress the injustice suffered by Abiola, who was widely believed to have won the annulled 1993 presidential election.

“When General Murtala died, Abiola filed a claim of about N45 billion for contracts executed by his firm, International Telephone and Telegraph, for the Ministry of Communications. The military refused to pay,” Lamido said. “They later claimed that had Abiola become president, he would have claimed the money and bankrupt the nation.”

Lamido argued that Abiola was doubly punished—first by being denied the presidency, and second by being denied the alleged contractual payment. He urged Tinubu, through Minister of Information Muhammad Idris who represented the president at the event, to pay the sum and bring closure to the matter.

“Please tell the president to pay the Abiola family the N45 billion. Once this is done, the June 12 chapter will be closed. It is very important,” he emphasised.

Also speaking at the event, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said the task of building Nigeria remains unfinished. He revealed that he appointed Lamido as foreign affairs minister despite not knowing him personally at the time, based on political circumstances and trust.

“Nigeria is not where it ought to be yet,” Obasanjo said. “Our job is not finished until it is finished. It is our collective responsibility to get the country to where it should be.”

Obasanjo praised Lamido’s performance as foreign minister, recalling how he resisted submitting a pre-signed resignation letter, instead offering to resign honourably if ever deemed unfit for the role.

“Sule was our face to the world. Within three years of our administration, Nigeria had rejoined the global community, symbolised by the Queen’s participation in the CHOGM hosted in Abuja,” he said.

Also present at the event was former Rivers State Governor and Transport Minister, Chibuike Amaechi, who described Lamido as a principled politician who remained loyal to the PDP when others defected during internal party crises.