June 12: History will be kind to Buhari – Group

By Patrick Okohue, Lagos

A pro democracy group, Coalition for Good Governance and Justice (CFGGAJ) has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring June 12 as Democracy Day, even as it said history will be kind to him for the act.

The group however called on the President to go a step further by making sure the portrait of the winner of the election, Chief M.K.O Abiola is placed side by side that of former Heads of State.

According to a statement by CFGGAJ convener, Emmanuel Umohinyang, President Buhari deserves commendation for shoving aside the prejudices against June 12 election, and the late Abiola by giving recognition to the historic election.

This, he observed was commendable as Former Presidents looked the other way, pretending that June 12 never happened.

Umohinyang said this was a clear testimony that Buhari was a true statesman and firm believer in fairness, justice and equity.

The statement reads “June 12 has become a watershed in the annals of our national history.

“One cannot but recall with nostalgia “Hope 93”, the campaign slogan of M.K.O Abiola of the SDP.

“That was the freest election our country, Nigeria has ever had, but that election was annulled by the gap – toothed man from Minna.

“The election was a sad reminder; it was better imagined than seen.

“Today, when you look at the clips of that era, you can’t but weep for the heroes and heroines, both living and dead who sacrificed their all for the actualisation of June 12.

“We cannot but pay tribute to the legendary Gani Fawehinmi, Pro. Wole Soyinka, Senator Bola Tinubu, Chima Ubani, Dr. Beko Ramsome Kuti, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), Mr. Yinka Odunmakin, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and others.

“They all were willing to sacrifice their lives for the actualisation of that mandate, some; we lost in the struggle, while some are still alive.

“It is an irony that when Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, former President Olusegun Obasanjo did not feel he owed an obligation to Nigerians by acknowledging the efforts of the Late M.K.O Abiola.

“Ironically, many years after, President Buhari shoved aside those anti-democratic forces who did not want the mention of M.K.O Abiola’s name in Nigeria’s history and went ahead to correct the wrong of the past.

“Not only by recognising and conferring on Abiola the highest honour in the land, given only to Presidents and past presidents, he equally jettisoned the infamous May 29 and proceeded to acknowledge June 12 as democracy day.

“We commend the President for doing what is needful, for assuaging pains of millions of Nigerians, across the country who freely gave their mandate to M.K.O Abiola on June 12, 1993 and the late politician’s immediate family.

“However, we want the President to go a step further by ensuring we have the photograph of MKO Abiola placed alongside that of past Presidents and the benefits of past Presidents paid to the family of M.K.O Abiola”