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Army Chief Who Led Military Caucus That Presented Abacha As Head Of State Dies – Lifestyle Nigeria
Former Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Chris Alli (MC Alli) famed for being chairman of the military caucus that presented General Sanni Abacha as military head of state in November 1993 has died.
. reports that exactly thirty years ago this November that the Ernest Shonekan-led transition government cobbled by General Ibrahim Babangida to pacify angst against the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election was kicked out by the military.
That election was won by Chief MKO Abiola.
However, as simmering over the Shonnekan government reverberated in the polity a military caucus headed by Alli met a couple of times and finally pushed for the emergence of Abacha as military head of state to take over from Shonekan.
Among other military generals who were allegedly members of the caucus were David Mark, Ishaya Bamayi, Patrick Azazi, MA Johnson, Aboki Abdullahi, Sambo Dasuki, Lawan Gwadabe, Tajudeen Olarenwaju and FBI Porbeni.
Following the decision on Abacha it was learnt that Abacha had recommended that MC Alli should occupy the position of Chief of Army Staff, but Alli had retorted that Kogi State where he is from already had Air Vice Marshall FJ Femi as Chief of Air Staff. He said that it would not be tenable for the army chief to also come from Kogi State.
Abacha was said to have retorted that it would be no problem with him.
. reports that that was how Kogi State became the first state to produce two service chiefs at the same time.
Along the way, Abacha and MC Alli began to differ on issues pertaining to the manifestation of June 12.
