Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (24 August 1937 – 7 July 1998) was a Nigerian businessman and politician. In 1993, he was the presidential candidate for the social democratic National Party of Nigeria, and he legally won the election; however, General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the results and had Abiola arrested and assassinated.
Biography[]
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola was born in Abeokuta, Nigeria on 24 August 1937 to a Yoruba family. He studied at the University of Glasgow from 1961 to 1963 before becoming abusiness manager, becoming vice-president of ITT Africa and Middle East and Chairperson of ITT Nigeria from 1971 to 1988. He joined the social democratic National Party of Nigeria in 1979, and he became the regional chairman in his home state of Ogun State. In 1993, he was chosen as the party's presidential nominee, running against Ibrahim Babangida. When his victory was clear, the military government annulled the elections and imprisoned him. On 7 July 1998, he was beaten to death on the day that he was due to be released from prison.