Chief Olu Falae, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and 1999 presidential candidate, has claimed he was the true winner of the election that marked Nigeria’s return to civilian rule—not General Olusegun Obasanjo.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show during a special Democracy Day broadcast, Falae alleged the 1999 election results were manipulated in favour of Obasanjo.
Quoting the findings of his late legal counsel, Chief J.O.K. Ajayi, Falae said:
“I was told by my lawyer… that I won the election by over a million votes after a meticulous assessment of the figures declared.”
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Despite the alleged irregularities, Falae said he chose not to contest the outcome in court, prioritising national stability after years of military dictatorship.
“We made sacrifices for democracy to return… I accepted it in good faith then, but the truth must be told: I won that election.”
The elder statesman’s remarks reignite debate over the legitimacy of Nigeria’s 1999 transition, seen by many as a compromise designed to calm tensions after the annulled June 12, 1993 election won by MKO Abiola.
Falae also lamented the continued failure to conduct truly credible elections in Nigeria, even decades after the return to civilian governance.
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