President Muhammadu Buhari today made history as he officially declared June 12 as Nigeria’s official Democracy Day. The declaration is a direct honour to the Memory of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola who won the watershed presidential election held on that day in 1993.
President Buhari, in a tweet, announced this:
Dear Nigerians, I am delighted to announce that, after due consultations, the Federal Govt has decided that henceforth, June 12 will be celebrated as Democracy Day. We have also decided to award posthumously the highest Honour in the land, GCFR, to the late Chief MKO Abiola.
June 12 is the day, in 1993, that the presidential election won by Abiola, who contested on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), defeating Kano State-born Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC) was held. The results showed Abiola, a billionaire businessman from Abeokuta, winning across regional and ethnic lines, and even defeating Tofa in Kano.
Tragically, the election was eventually annulled by the military regime of the day, under the leadership of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. That annulment plunged the country into turmoil for several years, in what has come to be known as the dark days in Nigeria’s socio-political history. After two changes of government, Abiola was eventually arrested and detained until he suddenly died in detention.
Buhari’s declaration is also an honour to all those who died in the struggle to restore democratic rule in Nigeria.
The president subsequently released a statement which was shared on his tweeter handle.
See statement:
Image Credit: The Guardian
