I clearly won the 1999 election but the military upturned it in favour of Obasanjo–Olu Falae
Former Minister of Finance and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Samuel Oluyemi Falae, has claimed that he won the 1999 presidential election.
He also alleged that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was coerced by the military into running for office to protect their interests.
Speaking in an interview on ARISE News on Nigeria’s journey to democracy, Falae, who contested under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All People’s Party (APP) alliance, insisted that he won the election by 1.5 million votes.
He added that the result was later confirmed to him by the late Ambassador Antonio Oladeinde Fernandez, who reportedly saw the results in the possession of American officials. “I have no doubt in my mind, and most Nigerians have no doubt whatsoever, that it was I that they voted for,” Falae said.
He claimed the military was uncomfortable with handing over power to a “thoroughbred civilian” and preferred to back Obasanjo, a former Head of State, to shield themselves from possible scrutiny.
According to Falae, the fear that he might probe the military was unfounded, as he had served in General Ibrahim Babangida’s administration for five years and had no interest in investigating a regime he was part of. “But clearly it was an excuse to do what they wanted to do,” he added.
Falae revealed that unlike Obasanjo, whom he claims had no initial intention to contest and had to be persuaded, he had prepared for two years, conducting focus group discussions, crafting a national blueprint, and preparing handbooks for every ministerial portfolio.
His manifesto, titled ‘New Directions for the Third Republic,’ he said, was designed to enable him to “hit the ground running”, saying, “I was ready to govern. I had spent my life in public and private service without blemish. I was better prepared.”
He, however, declared that Nigeria has not conducted a free and fair election since the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential poll, widely regarded as the country’s most credible election.
“So I don’t think we have had any election that was free and fair. Of course, we have approximated what we’d get if there was an election. Somebody must imagine otherwise there’ll be anarchy.
“So I believe because of the doctrine of necessity, the necessity of having a government, we have continued to stagger on accepting substandard election results, even up to now, so we can only hope that we get our act together and get a proper and acceptable democracy, acceptable results of democratic elections.
“We have not had any election that was not backed by long, drawn-out electoral petitions, not once,” he said, lamenting the overbearing influence of money and violence in determining outcomes. Money has become the determinant for winning,” he said.
