GCFR · Grand Commander of the Federal RepublicWinner of the annulled 12 June 1993 presidential election· Conferred 2018-06-06 · by Muhammadu Buhari
Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola
Won the freest election in Nigerian history; the result was annulled by IBB. Detained on Abacha's orders in 1994; died in custody, 7 July 1998. Posthumous GCFR, 6 June 2018.
The record
Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola (1937–1998), publisher of Concord Press, won the 12 June 1993 presidential election by a wide margin and across every region — the only national election to defeat the geographic North–South ceiling. IBB annulled the result on 23 June. After declaring himself the rightful President in June 1994 at the Epetedo declaration, Abiola was detained on charges of treason and held until his death in custody on 7 July 1998.
The Buhari administration conferred the GCFR — and the title of President — on Abiola posthumously on 6 June 2018, declaring 12 June Democracy Day in place of 29 May.
Tier 1 · primary
Courts. Gazettes. National archives.
Tier 2 · corroborating
OCCRP. HRW. BudgIT. TheCable.
Tier 4 · tertiary, flagged
Wikipedia only where primary is pending. Always labelled.