•Okei-Odumakin, ARG others react to Senate resolution on Abiola

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Dapo Akinrefon and Vincent Ujumadu
LAGOS — President Muhammadu Buhari has shown that he is not only a democrat but honours democracy, All Progressives Congress, APC leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has said.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, Tinubu said:

•Bola Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari

“June 12, more than any other day, symbolizes the struggles and sacrifices made by countless Nigerians to establish democracy as our way of national governance. Chief MKO Abiola and others gave their lives that we might have democracy, that the will of the people would be sovereign and not suppressed by the will of the few. This proclamation by President Buhari will forever memorialize the sacrifices made by these patriots who gave of themselves in service of such a noble and rightful purpose.

“The designation of June 12 as Democracy Day is the fulfillment of the dream and efforts of many of us. With this fulfillment comes a civic responsibility. We must consecrate this new holiday and ourselves so that we make it a living holiday. More so than ever before, the spirit of June 12 must live within us. It must guide our politics and how we govern ourselves. We must continuously dedicate ourselves to the freedoms and rights as well as the duties that democracy bestows on us all, political friend and foe alike.

“Let it be said that this presidential proclamation should forever bury ill-conceived notion that President Buhari is ambivalent to democracy. He has shown that he not only respects democracy but duly honours it.

“Today, the sun shines a bit more brightly. The sound of democracy peals more resolutely across the land. The sacrifices of Chief Abiola and others have been affirmed by the Federal Government he once should have led. Democracy has been given its proper seat and day. History has been corrected to the extent humanly possible. Nigeria continues to define its better self.”

Meanwhile, other stakeholders have continued to welcome the Senate’s resolution that the result of the June 12, 1993 election be declared.

Throwing her weight behind the Senate’s decision, President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei- Odumakin said: “This is an encouraging decision and the natural sequence having declared June 12 Democracy Day and putting due recognition for Bashorun Abiola .

“The official release of the results will clear the air on Abiola’s victory and no one henceforth will call Abiola the presumed winner of that election again. We also demand that Abiola should thereafter be declared an elected President of Nigeria with all post-humus recognitions. The appeasement of his spirit would be complete with this.”

On its part, the Afenifere Renewal Group, ARG, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

In a statement, its Publicity Secretary, Kunle Famoriyo said: “Since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, this announcement is the first genuine step out of several recommendations by pro-democracy activists towards weaning Nigeria off mementos of military dictatorship.

“We also welcome the national honours bestowed on Chief M.K.O Abiola, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, and Chief Gani Fawehinmi. We will allow Mr. President to enjoy the full accolade for this announcement, to the shame of his predecessors who turned deaf ears to our appeals.

Barrister Caleb Muftwang, a Kaduna-based lawyer in his reaction said:

“The award is for the living and not that dead. As for the Senate resolution, it appears like an extension of war between the executive and legislature. Sensing that the government wants to score a cheap political point by the June 12 issue, the legislature is challenging it to go the whole hog and legitimise the election of Abiola. However there’s no constitutional basis for that now.”

An Onitsha –based human rights lawyer, Mr. Jezie Ekejiuba, however, faulted President Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as the new Democracy Day, arguing it was improper for the president to annul May 29 which had served as the nation’s Democracy Day until now.

In a letter addressed to the president, Ekejiuba said the president erred by wishing away the importance of May 29, which had witnessed the swearing in of four presidents in Nigeria.

While commending Buhari for proclaiming June 12th as Democracy Day and a public holiday, as well as the posthumous award of the highest national honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, on late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the presumed winner of June 12, 1993 cancelled presidential election, he said it was not enough to forget the significance of May 29.