Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and 1999 presidential candidate, Chief Olu Falae, has made a bold claim regarding the historic election that marked Nigeria’s transition from military to civilian rule. Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show as part of the Democracy Day coverage on Thursday, Falae alleged that the results of the 1999 presidential election were manipulated to favor his opponent, Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to the elder statesman, a post-election legal review conducted by his late counsel, Chief J.O.K. Ajayi, revealed that he had, in fact, won the election by a margin of more than 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.
Despite this revelation, Falae disclosed that his camp chose not to legally contest the outcome at the time. He explained that the decision was driven by a desire to maintain national stability and ensure a peaceful return to democratic governance following years of military dictatorship.
“We decided not to go to court. We were more concerned about the country returning to democracy peacefully after years of military rule,” he stated.
Falae’s remarks have reignited discussions surrounding Nigeria’s transitional period following the death of military ruler General Sani Abacha and the subsequent interim leadership of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who presided over the country’s shift to civilian rule in 1999.
The 1999 general elections were seen as a political balancing act, particularly in light of the June 12, 1993 election annulment, which had deeply unsettled the South-West, a region largely sympathetic to presumed winner MKO Abiola. Falae’s presidential bid, supported by a coalition between the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All Peoples Party (APP), was viewed as an attempt to appease Yoruba interests. Meanwhile, Obasanjo, also of Yoruba descent and a former military Head of State, ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), enjoying strong support from the military and northern political elite.
“There was so much pressure not to rock the boat. We made sacrifices for democracy to return. I accepted it in good faith then, but the truth must be told: I won that election,” Falae declared.
He emphasized that his revelation was not driven by personal ambition or bitterness, but by a commitment to historical truth.
“It’s not about me. It’s about the truth. Nigeria deserves to know the real story behind its so-called democratic rebirth,” he concluded.
Falae’s statement adds a new layer to the narrative of Nigeria’s return to democracy and raises questions about the integrity of a pivotal moment in the country’s political history.
