IBADAN – Activists marking the 21st anniversary of the annulment of the June 12 election in 1993 on Thursday called on Nigerians to ensure sustainable development of the country.
June 12 had been set aside by political associates of late Chief Moshood Abiola, acclaimed winner of the election annulled by the then military regime.
One of them, Moshood Erubami, Human Right Activist and Convener of the 21st Anniversary Lecture organised by the Nigeria Voters Assembly, said in Ibadan that June 12 symbolised political emancipation of the electorate.
“Twenty one years after the annulment of June 12, Nigeria is yet to have democracy in the true sense of the word because true democracy is naturally productive and dividend yielding being an investment.
“With true democracy, the electorate subscribe into this through their votes and acquire genuine dividend like freedom, security, employment, human dignity, decentralised and participatory governance, value- based society and fair share of social wealth,” he said.
Erubami urged President Goodluck Jonathan to honour Abiola with a posthumous award.
He said that with Social Democratic Party, which presented a muslim-muslim ticket to win the June 12 poll was the day Nigeria found solution to ethnicity, thuggery and religious chauvinism.
The activist, therefore, called on the government to honour other politicians like late Chief Michael Ajasin, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Alfred Rewane, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Beko Ransome Kuti and Chima Ubani for their contributions to the country’s democratic development.
Prof. Ariyo Olagoke, the Dean of School of Engineering, Federal Polythecnic, Abeokuta, tasked politicians to emulate the spirit of sacrifice, which was the hallmark of the winner of June 12 mandate.
“Abiola remains a politician, who had the spirit of sacrifice, to the extent that he even laid down his life for democracy,” he said.
Olagoke described June 12 election as a watershed in Nigerian history, saying that a lot of people parading themselves as associates of Abiola were mere pretenders who could not make sacrifice like deceased.
He called on administrators to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people, especially the youths, adding that it was the only way to find answers to terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, corruption and other social vices in the country. (NAN)
