The decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to honour the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 election, Chief Moshood Abiola, is a result of his desperation to win his second term bid in 2019.
This is the declaration of the leading opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on the president’s declaration of June 12 as the nation’s Democracy Day and conferment of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, on the late Chief Moshood Abiola.
On Wednesday, in a statement he issued, Buhari announced that henceforth, June 12 of every year becomes Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
According to him, the date was chosen to replace May 29, in recognition of the relevance of the day to Nigeria’s democratic development.
He also conferred the highest honour in the country, GCFR, on the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 election, Chief Moshood Abiola.
The June 12 election which was declared the fairest and fairest in the history of the country was however annulled by the military government at the time, led by President Ibrahim Babangida.
Buhari also honoured one of the fighters for the de-annulment of the June 12 election, human rights activist and lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, and the running mate of Abiola, Babagana Kingibe.
But in a swift reaction to the president’s declarations, the PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Buhari was only being desperate.
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He was accused of attempting to use the name of Abiola for political gains.
His words: “President Buhari’s action merely sought to use the name and person of Chief Abiola to gain a political capital and not out of genuine reverence and recognition for him. The party recalls that President Buhari, who was serving in the military administration of General Sani Abacha during the travails of Chief MKO Abiola, did not associate either by words or actions with the late winner of June 12 election.
“History did not record President Buhari as sympathetic to the Abiola’s family when his wife, Kudirat, was gruesomely murdered by the agents of a government which President Buhari served.
“It is therefore a sign of political desperation for President Buhari to seek to use Chief Abiola’s name as a tool to sway Nigerians in less than twelve months to an election where he is seeking a second term.”
PDP also expressed dismay that Babagana Kingibe, Abiola’s running mate in the election, could also be honoured.
According to the party, Kingibe did not deserve the honour, having denounced the June 12mandate and preferred the company of his (Abiola’s) traducers.
PDP said the best way Buhari could honour Abiola was to put an end to the alleged anti-democratic actions of his administration and respect the constitution of the country.
