Abiola’s kinsmen seek tenure elongation for President Buhari in 2019
- The conversation on June 12 continues as Nigeria marks the historic day today
- Leaders of Gbagura in Ogun state are canvassing for 14 extra days in office for President Muhammadu Buhari
- The idea is geared towards ensuring that future inaugurations of Nigerian presidents will coincide with June 12
Leaders of the hometown of the late winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola, have called for 14 extra days in office for President Muhammadu Buhari in order for future inaugurations of Nigerian president to coincide with June 12.
The inauguration day has been May 29 since 1999 when Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as the first president of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
But the traditional ruler of Gbagura in Ogun state, Halidu Laloko, at a press conference on Monday, July 11, said it has become necessary to shift the handover date forward by two weeks “to properly actualise the June 12, 1993 annulment date and immortalise MKO Abiola who sacrificed his life because of Nigerian Democracy.”
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The federal government last week announced a posthumous conferment of the highest national honour of Grand Commander Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFR) on Abiola and declared June 12 the new Democracy Day instead of May 29.
The National Assembly supported the pronouncement with a resolution asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Late Abiola winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential poll. In addition, the lawmakers asked the federal government to declare Abiola an ex-president and pay all the entitlements due to a former president to his family.
The Gbagura monarch, who was represented at the press conference by Adio Baiyewun, the Balogun of Ojoo-Gbagura, lauded President Buhari and the National Assembly for their decisions.
His words: “We see this as victory of truth over injustice, and as people of Gbagura and Ogun state at large, we are extremely glad that Mr President has finally done what is just and fair with the posthumous award of GCFR on late Abiola and the declaration of June 12 as proper Democracy Day and a Public Holiday in Nigeria.
“We equally applaud the National Assembly led by the Senate for directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to formally declare Chief MKO Abiola winner and as an Ex-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with all his entitlements fully paid.
“We also passionately request the National Assembly to take a second look at the President Muhammadu Buhari’s proposal on June 12 and demand that, for proper actualisation and immortalisation of the date and Abiola, there is need to support Mr President on the need to replace the hitherto Public Holiday of May 29 and celebration as well as Handover Day with June 12 since the date marks a watershed in the Nigerian political history.”
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Meanwhile, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said the declaration of June 12, by President Buhari as Democracy Day and the award of GCFR to late MKO Abiola serves as an acknowledgement that the latter won the 1993 election.
Tinubu in a message entitled 'The Immortalisation of Chief MKO Abiola,' said that the award of the GCFR was also an acknowledgement that Abiola should have been allowed to serve as president after winning the free and fair expression of the popular will of the people.
He said that the declaration was a good news for democracy and a proud moment for Nigeria.
President Buhari's Return Will Teach Nigerians Sense on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
