The Accord Party, Lagos State Chapter has urged President Bola Tinubu to dispense justice on June 12 by declaring late Chief MKO Abiola president-elect.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Dele Oladeji, State Chairman of the party, to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
Oladeji said the party wanted Tinubu to declare MKO president-elect of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election to bring an end to a long lingering injustice against Nigerians.
Oladeji noted that the “June 12 Day” remained a blight and watershed on the checkered democratic history of Nigeria and Africa
He said, “We request a release of the official result of June 12, a declaration of late MKO as the president-elect and presentation of insignia of office and necessary compensation to his family.”
The chairman stated that the requests would bring an end to long lingering injustice, noting that “the requests will not be for only late MKO Abiola but for all Nigerians and the world at large, who will feel a huge relief.”
The party added, “It will also restore their faith and hope in the country afresh.
“At this time, June 12 Day should start to be celebratory like Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“Also, it should stop being a day we keep mourning the injustice, loss of lives and property and the democratic rape of the June 12 debacle,” he said.
The chairman reiterated that a fulfilment of the party’s request would shore up renewed hope in the democratic system of Nigeria and Africa.
He explained that it would bring a lot of maturity and faith to the democratic system in Nigeria.
“It will build trust, faith and hope in the government of Tinubu and develop and foster rapid growth of the judicial and justice systems and processes in Nigeria.”
Oladeji said this was the right to bring Justice to June 12 because a few of the active actors are still alive.
“Ex-president Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, who annulled the election, is still alive, as are Prof. Maurice Iwu, the third Independent National Electoral Commission chairman who conducted the election; Prof. Wole Soyinka and Mr Dele Momodu.
“Others are Dr. Kayode Fayemi and President Bola Tinubu, who were major actors and prominent agitators in the June 12 debacle.
“Tinubu was not only a victim and active actor but also went on exile with other like-minds, members and leadership of NADECO,” he said.
The chairman said the party looked forward to the official announcement of the result of the June 12, 1993 election and the declaration of the winner while congratulating the president on the eventual victory of the February 25, presidential election.
“We wish the President and Nigerians a successful tenure and a prosperous reign.”
Recall that former President Muhammadu Buhari, on June 6, 2018, declared June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day instead of May 29 in honour of late Chief M.K.O Abiola.
Abiola, the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, died in detention for alleged treason.
The declaration followed many years of agitation by civil society groups that Abiola must be immortalised.
According to Buhari, the change was to remind all Nigerians of one free election after which the winner along with Nigerians was denied their rights and their choices.
