Buhari’s June 12 Declaration: Afenifere Fears That It Is A Plan To Influence Voters

MKO Abiola ( Photo File)

Afenifere Calls Nigeria To Caution As Buhari Declares June 12 As Democracy Day

Following the declaration of June 12 as Democracy day by President Muhammadu Buhari, and the posthumous award to the late Moshood Abiola, the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere has called for caution on the part of Nigerians.

According to PREMIUM TIMES who spoke to the spokesman for Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, the group had been on the struggle to get the government to recognise the historic moment of June 12 and the sacrifice of Mr Abiola for two decades.

While the group acknowledged the recognition of Mr Abiola and June 12 by the All Progressives Congress federal government as a good development, it says there is a need to test the motives and true intentions of the government with the coming elections in Ekiti, Osun and next year’s presidential elections.

Mr Abiola was the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections, which was annulled by the military regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

He was later arrested by the military dictator, Sani Abacha, and imprisoned while fighting to reclaim his mandate, until his death in detention in 1998.

Odumakin said “We are not unaware that we are now in the election season and every attempt will be made to woo voters with issues that are popular.

“But be that as it may, we have canvassed for the honour of Chief Moshood Abiola since the annulment of June 12 and for June 12 to be declared democracy day for over two decades now. Therefore we accept the declarations and commend them.

“If we are able to hold free and fair elections, if we allow Nigerians to elect their leaders without hindrance, if the will of voters is acknowledged, if the ballot is allowed to reign supreme in the next Nigerian elections, then this would have celebrated our true belief in the spirit of June 12 and the proper honour of Abiola, who died on principle, insisting that the rights of Nigerians and their votes must be respected.”

He said if the coming elections failed to meet these tests, then it would show that the declarations were as a mere political gimmick to hoodwink the electorate.

“They say fairness consist in giving even the devil his due. Like I said the true test of the motive and intention will come out in January, in fact right from Ekiti on July 14, we will know whether this is just a mere gimmick or a true spirit of democracy in the land. So it is not far for us to know the motive behind this,” said Mr Odumakin.

He, however, warned Nigerians to be cautious and watch out in the elections that are coming whether the spirit of June 12 had been imbibed or whether the government was paying lip service to the historic moment.