Former Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Muhammad Dahiru Saleh, who annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election widely believed to have been won by the late business mogul, Chief Moshood Abiola, died yesterday.
One of his grandsons, Arymayau Abubakar Liman, who announced the passage, said the jurist passed on in his hometown of Azare, headquarters of Katagum council area of Bauchi State; saying Saleh was buried at the palace of the Emir of Azare around 4:30pm yesterday. Bauchi Deputy Governor, Baba Tela, who is related to the late Saleh, also confirmed the death in a text message.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Chief MKO Abiola was leading Bashir Tofa, his the National Republican Convention rival, by a wide margin in the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election when the exercise was cancelled ahead of the final announcement of results.
Saleh had annulled the election based on the order of the Military President, Gen. General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd). Chief Abiola was arrested and jailed and later died in detention.
Until his death, he held the title of “Mutawalle” of Katagum emirate in Bauchi State. Born on August 22, 1939, he attended Azare Primary School between 1948 and 1951; Azare Senior Primary School between 1952 and 1955; and Barewa College, Zaria from 1956 to 1960. He then proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and later Council of Legal Education London.
