June 12: MKO Abiola Won’t Have Endorsed Celebration During This Pandemic – Gov Abiodun

By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA

Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has emphasised that had it been the late President MKO Abiola is alive today, he would not have endorsed a better and bigger celebration of June 12 nationwide due to coronavirus pandemic that has claimed thousands of lives globally.

He said even at that, they recognised that they have to do what they need to do in recognition of the late MKO Abiola because they are all beneficiaries of his democratic sacrifice, which paved the way for the democracy they all enjoying today.

The governor stated this today in his address to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the June 12 Presidential Election proudly won by the Chief MKO Abiola, but was annulled by the self acclaimed evil genius, and former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, without any justification.

Prince Abiodun confirmed that the late Chief MKO Abiola remained the iconic reference for and symbol of one Nigeria and our closest link to democracy. Addding that had the country sustained the momentum, perhaps, Nigeria as a great nation, would have moved from its Third World status to First World like Lee Kwan Yew’s in Singapore.

He said: “This day 27 years ago, Nigerians defied all their traditional fault lines to vote en-mass for Chief Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola as the President of our great nation. That day, there was no North, South, East or West.

“Nobody cared about tribes and tongues. It did not matter that it was a Muslim-Muslim ticket. Everybody wanted progress and voted for change in a manner unparalleled in the history of Nigeria.

“It was a day Nigeria came together and there has never been a day like it again. This is because MKO Abiola won the election, fair and square. Abiola scored 58.36% of the 14 million votes cast. Abiola won in 20 of the then 30 States of the federation. He had a spread across all the geo-political zones.

“The election was declared Nigeria’s freest and fairest Presidential election by national and international observers, with Abiola even winning in his opponent’s home state. June 12 is, thus, a day to remember Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola as well as other democracy martyrs.

“I am talking about: (i) Free and fair elections; (ii) Un-coerced expression of voters’ preference in election; (iii) Respect for electorate as unfettered final arbiter on elections; (iv) Decorum and fairness on the part of the electoral umpires; (v) Absolute respect for the rule of law.”

Furthermore, he stresses: “MKO remains the iconic reference for and symbol of one Nigeria and our closest link to democracy. Had we sustained the momentum, perhaps our great nation, Nigeria, would have moved from its Third World Status to First World like Lee Kwan Yew’s Singapore.

“Indeed, beside the Day the Union Jack flag was lowered for the Nation’s Green-White-Green flag, on October 1, 1960, there is no day with national significance like June 12, 1993. This is because in spite of the uniqueness and peculiarities of Nigeria, the election of MKO Abiola demystified all stereotypes about the so-called centrifugal and centripetal forces. June 12 was complete in answering to all the prerequisites which constitute an irreducible minimum for democracy.

“Many Nigerians have always been of the opinion that June 12 should be a national holiday. However, only some Nigerian States were actually celebrating it until Tuesday, 6th June, 2018, when President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR surprised the whole nation by choosing June 12 to replace the hitherto May 29 as the fair, right and proper day to celebrate our National Rebirth and real day of Democracy.

“Let me use this opportunity to once again thank President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, for conferring the highest National honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on Late (Chief) Moshood Kashimawo Abiola on Tuesday, 12th June, 2018.

“That the President understood the need to correct the injustice done.