Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All People’s Party (APP) in the 1999 general elections, has made a startling claim – asserting that he, not Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, won the crucial vote that ushered Nigeria back to civilian rule.

Falae, who appeared on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Thursday during special Democracy Day programming, alleged that he was the actual winner of the 1999 presidential election, but was denied his mandate through manipulation of results. The elder statesman declared that based on the legal review of the vote tallies carried out by his legal counsel, late Chief J.O.K. Ajayi, he defeated Obasanjo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by a margin exceeding one million votes.

“I was told by my lawyer, the late Chief JOK Ajayi, that I won the election by over a million votes after a meticulous assessment of the figures declared,” Falae said during the interview. “But we decided not to go to court. We were more concerned about the country returning to democracy peacefully after years of military rule.”

Falae’s unexpected revelation reopens an old political wound from Nigeria’s transitional period following the death of General Sani Abacha and the eventual assumption of office by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who oversaw the transition to democratic governance. The 1999 elections were widely seen at the time as a product of compromise—a means to pacify aggrieved regions, particularly the South-West, following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election presumed to have been won by MKO Abiola.

Falae’s candidacy in 1999, backed by two major opposition parties—AD and APP—was seen as an effort to appease the Yoruba people, while Obasanjo, himself a Yoruba man and former military Head of State, emerged as the PDP’s candidate with backing from the political establishment and the military elite.

“There was so much pressure not to rock the boat,” Falae told his interviewers. “We made sacrifices for democracy to return. I accepted it in good faith then, but the truth must be told: I won that election.”

Political analysts have long pointed to irregularities and compromises in the 1999 electoral process. While international observers acknowledged the election marked a turning point for Nigeria’s democratic aspirations, they also flagged concerns over lack of transparency and credible voter records.

Falae’s fresh assertions have sparked renewed debate over the legitimacy of the 1999 poll and the foundations of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. Critics argue that the results were pre-determined by powerful political and military interests who saw Obasanjo, a former military leader and prisoner under Abacha, as a stabilizing force capable of uniting a fragile federation.

Now 85, Falae’s voice still carries weight in Nigeria’s political circles. A respected technocrat, former finance minister, and an enduring figure in Yoruba nationalism, he insists that Nigeria must revisit its democratic journey to learn from the past and ensure true accountability.

Reacting to his remarks, some Nigerians on social media expressed both sympathy and skepticism. While some lamented what they described as stolen history and a “hijacked transition,” others questioned the timing and motive behind the revelation, 26 years after the fact.

For Falae, however, the matter goes beyond personal ambition. “It’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about the truth. Nigeria deserves to know the real story behind its so-called democratic rebirth.”

As Nigeria marks another Democracy Day, Falae’s claim adds a layer of complexity to the nation’s political history – a reminder that even foundational transitions can be contested long after the ballots are counted.

Falaye regretted that since 1993, Nigeria has not had credible election, noting that although the democracy has been sustained till 1999, the conduct of elections remain a challenge.

Hallmarknews.com