Prominent Nigerians suggests ways on how to immortalise Abiola

Prominent Nigerians on Tuesday suggested ways in which the Federal Government could immortalise the winner of the 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola.

These include the Secretary-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Dr. Lateef Adegbite; Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Niger-Delta activist, Ms. Ankio Briggs as well as a former member of the Senate, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora.

They spoke at the Lagos residence of the the late Abiola during the 19th anniversary of June 12 tagged ‘June 12 Democracy Day Celebration’ organised by June 12 Movement, Change Agents of Nigeria Project and Kudirat Abiola Initiative for Democracy.

Adegbite lamented that Nigerian authorities had yet to accord due recognition to the historic day.

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan, whose election he described as the closest in “cleanliness” to Abiola’s on June 12, 1993, to do more in honouring the late politician.

Adegbite said, “Release officially the results of the elections. Declare Chief M.K.O Abiola the winner of the election. Confer posthumously on MKO Abiola all the honours due to an elected President of Nigeria including the award of the national honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic.”

He added that June 12 should be declared MKO Abiola Day to replace May 29 currently observed as Democracy Day.

Ikuforiji, who supervised the laying of a wreath at the tomb of Abiola, noted that the deceased paid the supreme price for the enthronement of democracy.

‘‘We must continue to fight for what he stood for. A day must be set aside to honour Abiola. The National Assembly must enact a legislation to declare June 12 MKO Abiola Day. We call on the electoral body to as a matter of national importance declare Abiola as winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election,” he stated.

Briggs stated that the yearly celebration of June 12 was meant to correct all the ills and injustices that had existed in the country.

She added that one of the ways to honour Abiola was to recognise him alongside other democratically-elected Presidents in the country.

Briggs said, ‘‘In my opinion, one of the ways to honour Abiola is for a government to recognise him as a true President of Nigeria. His picture should be hung along with other democratically-elected Presidents in this country. It must be shown that he was elected on June 12, 1993 as President.’’

Mamora, who recommended that June 12 should be declared as MKO Abiola Day, added, ‘‘If you name a monument after him, chances are that incoming generation will forget. But if June 12 was named after him, questions will always arise as to what happened that day.’’

President, CAN Project, Mr. Olukayode Salako, bemoaned the country’s leadership style, which he said, continued to make the citizens hopeless.

In their separate speech, Mumini and Jamiu Abiola thanked the guest for keeping the memory of June 12 alive and urged them to stand for what Abiola died for.