Senator Shehu Sani on Thursday revealed how the like of Gani Fawehinmi, Olisa Abgakoba, himself, Mike Ozekhome and Femi Falana missed the opportunity to become presidents and governors in 1999.
He said that the biggest mistake they made as freedom fighters was to reject the military’s call to take over power from them in 1999.
Senator Sani disclosed this at This Nigeria Newspaper Lecture and Award in Abuja on Thursday, with the theme: “25 Years of Unbroken Democracy – Challenges, Prospects and Possibilities.”
Speaking in a panel discussion at the event, Senator Sani narrated what they went through in the hands of the military under Sani Abacha as freedom fighters.
The former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central at the 8th Senate said, “Abdulsalami Abubakar invited all of us who fought for democracy; that I am going to hand over power to a democratic government and I want all of you the freedom fighters to come together and take over power. At that very time, Gani opposed it.
“Three times he was inviting us we even refused to answer his call. He invited the politicians, he didn’t even invite them; they were knocking at his door.
“After we decided to listen to him, we came and sat down; what do we do? That is what the ANC in South Africa did, after the struggle, they took over political power, but after our struggle in 1998 and 1999, we made a fundamental mistake and said, we are not going to cooperate with the military.
“Mike Ozekhome is sitting here, he is one of those who opposed that we should not join. Gani opposed Falana, and Olisa Agbakoba all opposed. It was Tinubu who said if we don’t get in, who is going to be there?
“Then by the time we all agreed to join the politics, politicians had taken over all posts. Mike Ozekhome tried to be governor of Edo State, he couldn’t, Olisa tried to be president he couldn’t, Gani tried to be president he couldn’t, Falana tried to be governor of his state he couldn’t, I tried to be governor of Kaduna State I couldn’t because the space were all taken over.”
He also disclosed how himself, Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Musa ‘Yar Adua were incarcerated and sentenced to life imprisonment.
He said: “In 1995 a team of soldiers, policemen and DSS visited my house in Kaduna, it was a journey that began and lasted for four years.
“I was picked up in Kaduna and brought to Lagos together with late General Shehu Musa ‘Yar Adua. From the airport we were taken straight to the DSS headquarters. There we met President Olusegun Obasanjo. Unfairly for the soldiers they handcuffed me but did not handcuffed Obasanjo and late ‘Yar Adua. And Obasanjo said who are you? I said I am Shehu Sani. Obasanjo said did you steal something, I said I am an activist.
“We were straight taken to Kirikiri Maximum Prison, we stayed there without anybody saying anything to us, we were given blanket and a plate of food. Obasanjo asked what is this for? They said that is what you are going to use to cover yourself from mosquito and the plate to eat.
“We were then moved and allocated ourselves and when the armed robbers there saw Obasanjo they started shouting and insulting Obasanjo and naturally for some of us who are activists we are popular with inmates so, I said you are a commander outside and this is where I command too.
“So, I talked to the inmates and asked them to calm down no matter the grievances you have with Obasanjo he is now an inmate. After we were kept in the prison we were then transferred to the military tribunal. I was handcuffed again and the two generals were not handcuffed. They took us in a black maria straight to the military tribunal. We were interrogated, many of those there were stripped naked in our presence and tortured with cables after that we were brought back to our prison cell.”
