The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Ralph Okey Nwosu, has commended the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola and others for the spirited effort and sacrifices they made to promote democracy in Nigeria even as he blasted President Muhammadu Buhari for trying to politicize the June 12 struggle.
Nwosu made this commendation in a statement he issued to BusinessDay on Tuesday as Abiola was being posthumously honoured with the award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) by President Buhari in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the June 12.
Buhari last week declared June 12 Democracy Day to honour Abiola who was cruising to victory in the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election, which was inexplicably annulled by former Military President Ibrahim Babangida. Abiola was clamped into jail by the regime of late Sani Abacha when he tried to reclaim his mandate. He died in jail in 1998.
Nwosu said Buhari never played any role to reclaim the June 12 mandate adding that the president’s belated move to use June 12 to score cheap political goals is very pathetic adding that it is sad that Buhari now feels he can play tricks with the democracy day gamble to earn himself champion of democracy.
“Buhari truncated the Shagari’s democratically elected government in 1983. I have read articles and commentaries by some Villa rented crews, that Buhari has become champion of democracy and that the Yoruba’s should be grateful to him. They forget that it was the Nigerian people who made June 12, 1993 possible. Left to Buhari the reality of June 12 will not be. He neither voted Abiola nor played any role to see that the people’s mandate materialized,” he said.
The ADC chair noted that June 12th represents a watershed in Nigeria’s democratic struggle adding that ”this therefore should embolden all Nigerians the more to speak truth to power and take action against undemocratic and draconian tendencies of elected officials, including the number one citizen.
“I seize this opportunity to say Happy Democracy Day to all Nigerians including our elected public servants. I salute the Abiola’s family for their sacrifices and the Presidential Award.”
He urged Nigerians to shun the antics of President Buhari stressing that the change he promised Nigerians has turned into a creeping dictatorship allegedly characterized by detention without trial, hardship and intimidation of perceived opponents.
