Abuja (Sundiata Post) Member representing Lagos Island II Federal Constituency, Hon. Yakub A. Balogun, has called of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida to apologise to Yoruba race for the annulment of June 12 election.
He made the call while reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s posthumous conferment of the highest honour of Grand Commander Federal Republic (GCFR) on late MKO Abiola.
While briefing journalists at the National Assembly,, Honourable Yakub said “the democracy we are enjoying now was as a result of sacrifice made by Chief MKO Abiola”.
“The suffering that Nigerians are passing through today was as a result of the annulment of June 12, 1993 election, therefore IBB should openly apologize to all Nigerians that voted for Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of that election.
“I support the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari and I see it as a reconciliation process with Nigerians not only with South West alone “.
“Successive governments have brushed aside calls for Chief Abiola to be honoured and for the federal government to recognise June 12 as democracy day”.
“For the past 18 years, Nigerians have been celebrating May 29th, as Democracy Day. That was the date for the second time in our history, an elected civilian administration took over from a military government. The first time this happened was on October 21st, 1979.
But in the view of Nigerians, as shared by this administration, June 12, 1993, was far more symbolic of democracy in the Nigerian context than May 29 or even the October 1,”
According to him, “June 12, 1993 was the day when Nigerians in millions expressed their democratic will in what was the freest, fairest and most peaceful election since our Independence. The fact that the outcome of that election was not upheld by the then military Government does not distract from the democratic credentials of that process.
Sundiata Post recalls that the federal government said after due consultations, it decided that henceforth, June 12th will be celebrated as Democracy Day and to award posthumously the highest honour of the land, GCFR, to late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12th 1993 cancelled elections.
The Buhari government said Chief MKO Abiola will now be conferred with nation’s highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR. The honour is exclusively conferred only on presidents and former presidents.
The government also said Abiola’s running mate in that election, Babagana Kingibe, is to be conferred with the second highest honour of the Grand Commander of the Niger, GCON.
Also to receive a GCON is late Nigeria’s foremost pro-democracy activist, Gani Fawehinmi.
His running mate as Vice President, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, is also to be invested with a GCON.
