Tomorrow is June 12, the 18th anniversary of the annulled 1993 presidential election.

It is the anniversary of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. 18 years ago, Nigerians had defied the odds to take part in the election that was widely adjudged to meet the international standards of transparency and won by the late Chief MKO Abiola. The poll was, however, annulled by the then military regime, throwing the nation into months of turmoil. Senator Jonathan Zwingina who was the director general of Abiola political organisation, Mr Yinka Odumakin, a member of Afenifere, Prof. Omo Omoruyi, former Director General of the defunct Center for Democratic Studies (CDS) and Chief Supo Shonibare, chairman, Lagos State chapter of Afenifere, speak on June 12 vis-a-vis the 2011 polls.

Here are some comments, the full report will be in tomorrow’s Sunday Vanguard.

June 12 similar to 2011 polls — Zwingina

…June 12 represents a turning point in our electoral process because it marked an election that was truly transparent, that was free and fair, although the outcome was not allowed to stand. I believe that the only other election that compares to June 12 is the only current election that was held in 2011.

June 12 has no equal — Odumakin

June 12 remains a milestone in our democracy today and it remains the only political enterprise Nigeria is yearning for because it broke all barriers of ethnicity, religion and tribe.

June 12 would ‘ve solved Nigeria’s most fundamental problem – Prof. Omo Omoruyi

My happiest day was the day Jonathan was sworn-in as president. My saddest day was when June 12 was annulled. You can see the way I still feel about June 12, that is why people call me June 12. That is why I feel very sad today when I see some people who contributed to the annulment calling themselves democrats. Don’t want to name them. That remains a very sour point in Nigeria’s political life. My happiest day, the day Jonathan was sworn-in, not May 29 as Democracy Day, no no no. Don’t let us re-write history

We’re unable to evolve democratic culture – Shonibare

…Thereafter the ruling junta manipulated a contrived transition which threw up military power brokers and their civilian money mongers. We were therefore unable to evolve the democratic culture but had civilian dictatorship foisted on us.