Chief Moshood Abiola, the man whom many believe to have won Nigeria's annulled 1993 election, died suddenly in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, yesterday afternoon.
Mr Abiola (60), is said to have died of cardiac arrest while in a meeting with members of a United States State Department delegation. The delegation was visiting the Nigerian government to discuss the country's transition to democracy, and the release of Mr Abiola, who has been in detention since declaring himself president four years ago.
Many expected Mr Abiola to be released today or in the next few days. Nigerians were waiting for a national broadcast to be made by Gen Abdusalam Abubakar, the man who succeeded the despotic Gen Sani Abacha, who died exactly one month ago. The new ruler was expected to announce a programme for transition to democratic rule and the release of a number of political detainees, including Mr Abiola.
Africa's most prominent political prisoner is said to have been taken ill at about 4.00 p.m. yesterday afternoon and to have been rushed out of the US State Department meeting coughing and wheezing. Mr Abiola was meeting the US Under Secretary of State, Mr Thomas Pickering, and his colleague Ms Susan Rice. He is reported to have died soon after admission to Aso Clinic, in the presidential complex in Abuja.
His doctor and members of his family say they believe he was murdered. "His two wives told me they met him in the morning", his personal assistant Mr Olu Akerele told The Irish Times last night. "They told me he was alright, they said he was hale and hearty".
President Clinton said he was "deeply saddened" by the death. He said in a statement that Mr Pickering was with Abiola when he fell ill, accompanied him to the hospital and watched physicians try to save his life.
The Nigerian government said last night it had ordered a full autopsy at which Mr Abiola's doctor would be present. The US government has said it believes Mr Abiola died from natural causes.
Mr Abiola, a tycoon businessman from the south-west of Nigeria, was under tremendous pressure to renounce his claim to the presidential mandate since being imprisoned by the late Gen Abacha.
The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, echoed Mr Clinton's sentiments, calling for a move towards civilian rule "within a reasonable period of time". Mr Annan, who saw Abiola a week ago in Abuja, also called on the military government to release all remaining political prisoners unconditionally. Last week Mr Annan said Mr Abiola had indicated that he did not intend to press his claim to the presidency. "He was in very good health, he was alert," Mr Annan said. "I found him more realistic than some of us outside".
Mr Abiola's health had been reported to be in decline during various stages of his detention. According to some reports, he was suffering from diabetes. However, he was mostly held in solitary confinement and rarely saw outsiders. His first known visit was from his doctor last year. Mr Abiola's support mainly came from the Yoruba tribe of the south-west. While Nigerians countrywide voted for him in the annulled 1993 election, his support among the other main ethnic groups is believed to have fallen away sharply in the intervening years. Rioting broke out in parts of Nigeria's biggest city Lagos as news of the death spread but it subsided later.
Large crowds congregated outside Mr Abiola's house in the Ikeja area of Lagos last night. "There are millions of people out there right now", a neighbour told The Irish Times. "There are students and older people. They're weeping and mourning. I would say many of them might be in a violent mood after hearing this terrible news. I'm in shock myself."
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