The sudden death on Tuesday of Nigeria's leading dissident has given rise to speculation that Chief Moshood Abiola was murdered by Nigeria's military regime, David Orr reports. The conviction that foul play was involved is most strongly held by family members and by supporters in the Yoruba ethnic community of Nigeria's south-west.
That a 60-year old prisoner, under tremendous pressure from all sides to renounce his claim to the presidency, should succumb to cardiac arrest is not beyond the bounds of credibility. Abiola is said to have suffered from diabetes and other medical complaints. What is difficult to accept is that a man who could survive for four years in detention should die on the verge of freedom.
Why the military regime, avowedly committed to returning Nigeria to democratic rule, might at this point wish to murder a potential linchpin in any transition process is not clear.
The most graphic account of Abiola's final hours comes from the US Under Secretary of State, Mr Thomas Pickering, who was with him when he collapsed in the presidential compound at Aso Rock in the capital, Abuja. Abiola is said to have begun coughing soon after their meeting began and to have asked for cough medicine. He is then said to have gone to the bathroom and to have requested pain killers on his return.
"And then sat on a couch and was overheated and asked for the room to be cooled, and removed some of his garments, and then clearly began to suffer," Mr Pickering said. The former US ambassador to Nigeria said Abiola appeared to be "very disturbed and in some significant pain". Having removed him to a clinic at Aso Rock, doctors worked on Abiola for about an hour and a half but were unable to save his life. Like Mr Annan and Chief Anyaoku, Mr Pickering said afterwards that he had no reason to suspect foul play.
Is it possible that Abiola was poisoned by the military before going into Tuesday's meeting? Members of his family, in particular his daughter, Hafsat, who lives in Washington, charges that he was either poisoned or that he died of medical neglect. The latter charge is easier to substantiate. His physician, Dr Ore Faloma, had not seen him since last year.