Aregbesola To Buhari: Please Declare Moshood Abiola As Winner Of June 12 Election

The Governor of Osun State Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari  declare Moshood Abiola the winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Naijanews learnt.

Aregbesola, who made the appeal in Osogbo in a statewide broadcast to the people of the state in commemoration of the silver jubilee of June 12, said that de-annulment of June 12 election would properly address the injustice done to Nigerians 25 years ago by the military.

According to him, “we view what President Buhari has done as a very good first step in a new beginning which has to be built upon.

“To properly address the injustice of June 12, we demand that the election result be fully declared and Bashorun Abiola declared president posthumously.

“He should be recognised as a past Nigerian president and accorded the honour and full privileges attached to that position.

“The greatest honour President Buhari would do to the memory of Bashorun Abiola is to ensure that the incident of democratic abortion like the annulment of June 12 election never happen again in Nigeria.”

Describing June 12 as a significant day in Nigeria’s political history, the governor said “it is the day true democracy was born” in the country.

He noted that his administration had taken June 12 seriously by acknowledging it as ‘Democracy Day’ since inception and also observed the day as public holiday in Osun.

He also lauded President Buhari for honouring MKO Abiola, along with Babagana Kingibe, his running mate, and Gani Fawehinmi, human rights lawyer.

Guest lecturer at the event and foremost human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for honouring Abiola.

Falana, whose paper was presented by Comrade Sina Odugbemi, said the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day would put an end to political hypocrisy, which Nigeria and Nigerians have suffered from poor leadership.

The human rights activist faulted the litigation threat for honouring Abiola and Fawehinmi posthumously, saying such litigation will not be supported by law as no section of the constitution is against the president’s action.

Falana argued that the National Honour Acts empowered the President to honour any Nigerian deserving of national honour for his or her contributions to national growth and development, thus vindicating Buhari for the decision to honour Abiola and Fawehinmi posthumously.

The human rights activist called on Nigerians to see the declaration and commemoration of June 12 as National Democracy day as a sober reflection to strengthen the existing unity for national growth and development.