June 12: APC govs on congratulatory visit to Buhari
State governors under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Tuesday night met with President Muhammadu Buhari where they congratulated him on his decision to recognize June 12 as Democracy Day.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo, who made this known to State House correspondents after the closed doors meeting with the president at the First Lady Conference Hall, Aso Rock, Abuja, said the governors also commended the president for the conferment of honours to heroes of June 12.
President Buhari had on June 6 in a statement declared that henceforth, June 12, be observed as Democracy Day in Nigeria and that some heroes of democracy be given national honours.
The president fulfilled this promise on Tuesday when he conferred on late MKO Abiola the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (Posthumous) and Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe and late Gani Fawehinmi were also conferred with Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger.
Okorocha stated that the APC governors lauded the action and foresight of President Buhari for taking steps aimed at uniting Nigerians as well as promoting political stability in the country.
He said: “We also commended Mr. President on his recent outing the issue of the June 12 as Democracy Day and the honour done to Abiola.
“We saw this as an opening of a new page in relationship.’’
The governor also disclosed that the meeting reviewed activities concerning the APC, including the forthcoming national convention of the party.
According to him, the APC is more united than ever and ready for any political eventuality.
…Adedibu’s courage secured bail for Abiola but for dissenting voices – Shagari’s aide
Echoes of the life and times of late strongman of Ibadan politics and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, High Chief Lamidi Adedibu, reverberated in Ibadan on Tuesday as former Ministers, former Deputy Governors, erstwhile political associates, clerics, friends and families of the late politician marked his 10 years remembrance in a grand style.
Adedibu died on June 11, 2008 and was buried June 12 in accordance with Islamic rites.
In his keynote address, a Second Republic Liaison Officer of President Shehu Shagari, Dr. Saka Balogun, said Adedibu’s role in the botched release of the winner of June 12, 1993 election, Chief MKO Abiola, was instructive as he left a legacy of unusual courage in situations of intimidating fear and risk.
According to Balogun: Chief Lamidi Adedibu played a major role in the emergence of Chief Abiola as the presidential candidate, his election as president in 1993 and particularly the efforts he made to secure a court bail for Chief MKO Abiola after he was detained following the annulment of his election.
“The significance of his role can be properly assessed within the context of the military environment when the episodes were enacted.
“After the election of Chief Abiola and the annulment, which has been described as the best and most transparent in the history of elections in Nigeria, it was clear that the military junta of the day under the control of maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha, would not tolerate any challenge from anybody.
“It was in this dangerous circumstance that High Chief Lamidi Adedibu ventured and succeeded in obtaining a court bail for temporary release of detained Chief MKO Abiola.
… Buhari did the unthinkable, says Gani Adams
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba Land, Gani Adams, said President Muhammadu Buhari did the unthinkable by honouring the martyr of democracy, the late MKO Abiola, with the most prestigious national honour (GCFR).
Adams made the assertion at the 25th anniversary of June 12. 1993, Presidential Election organised by the Oodua People’s Congress in Lagos State.
OPC organised the event in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos State Council.
The anniversary had the theme: “Nigerian Politics and Democratic Process: MKO Abiola and the June 12, 1993, Crisis and Beyond”.
Adams, also OPC National Coordinator, said: “Where we least expected the truth about June 12 to come from, there is where it came”.
He added: “I salute you all for persevering in the last 25 years.
“Whether the Federal Government’s decision is more political than legal, as argued by some people, for me, it is crystal clear that the journey to make June 12 our Democracy Day started years back.
“I feel relieved to witness this day being recognised as our Democracy Day. Today, we have defeated the evil voices that killed the dream of the late MKO Abiola.
“I will like to express my appreciation to President Buhari for taking the bold initiative of honouring the late Abiola and the late Gani Fewehinmi.”
Adams said that posterity would be kind to Buhari for putting Nigeria’s democratic history in the right perspective.
According to him, Abiola, as the 14th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba Land, was committed to the cause of the masses and good governance.
Chairman of NUJ, Lagos Council, Dr Qasim Akinreti, said: “Today we salute President Buhari for his courage to allow justice on June 12 to prevail. Hope has finally come for Nigerians. We welcome this’’.
Akinreti noted that many journalists suffered in the June 12 struggle, saying NUJ desired announcement of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election result.
The Guest Speaker, Associate Prof. Derin Ologbenla of the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, said that `monetisation’ of political process negatively affected Nigeria’s democracy.
Ologbenla added that political manipulations through ‘godfatherism’ adversely affected the democracy.