June 12: NADECO Opens Up On Abiola’s Special Investiture

Year after year, since the unfortunate truncation of the Results of 12th June, 1993 General Election, NADECO has led the agitation by the Nigerian populace for recognition of MKO Abiola’s feat that transcended all odds of ethnicity, religion and political bigotry that afforded him victory at that Election.

The National Democratic Coalition, NADECO with joy, therefore welcomed the long awaited but pleasant Pronouncement of President Muhammadu Buhari which has declared June 12 as the most authentic DEMOCRACY DAY over the May 29, and even over the 1st of October Independence Day according to the statement contained in the President’s twitter handle.

In other words, the October 1 and May 29 are not more than symbolic days of handover, the first being the political change over of baton from the imperialist and colonial overlord which deliberately forced the coupling together of many different heterogeneous people into what they called Nigeria while the second was the day the Nigerian military handed over power to one of their own bosses, called General Obasanjo now in Agbada as a civilian president.

NADECO in its official inaugural statement on May 15, 1994 made some categorical statements among others which included:

That the military junta should de-annul the victory recorded by Bashorun Abiola by respecting the popular will of Nigerians expressed at the ballot of box which resulted into Abiola’s victory at the presidential election of June 12th, 1993.

That the military junta should convene a Sovereign National Conference, SNC composed mainly of Ethnic Nationalities which were the building blocks upon which Nigeria was forcefully coupled together and which also negotiated for a Federal Constitutional arrangement.

This demand was to ensure that the warped, lopsided and skewed National Structure which enabled a motley crowd of corrupt military jackboots to disrespect Nigerians fundamental rights to elect who they prefer to govern them could be amicably resolved through mutual dialogue.

That June 12 remains the authentic “Democracy Day” because that was the day when Nigerians of all different persuasions decided to bury the DUBIOUS NATIONAL DIVIDES of North/South, Christian/Muslim, ethnic and or tribal affiliations to vote for either Bashorun MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party, SDP or Alhaji Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention, NRC.

The result as already announced publicly at the various levels particularly at the state level were that;

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) Candidate Moshood Abiola received over 8million votes, and won in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The National Republican Convention (NRC) candidate Alhaji Bashir Tofa received over 6 million votes and won in 10 states only. Over 14 million people voted thereby giving victory to Bashorun Abiola as the President-Elect of Nigeria.

NADECO also calls on the Nigerian State to take immediate, decisive and manifestly reassuring steps to stop the unprecedented bloodletting and violence being unleashed by herdsmen on native farmers across Zamfara, Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau and other States.

This becomes very imperative because Governance and government have an abiding duty of care towards citizens and because the protection of lives and property remains the primary duty of any government properly so called.

Now that President Buhari has surprised and or confused many Nigerians with declaration June 12 as Democracy day and given the highest honour of the land to GCFR to MKO Abiola, NADECO wishes to state unequivocally that for his pronouncement to have fundamental impact among a significant segment of democrats and advocates for justice, equity and the rule of law, PMB should act immediately on the following associated matters with June 12;

General Babangida’s annulment of the victory of Bashorun MKO Abiola whose major gain was to be NATIONAL UNITY has been subverted by total disregard of Military strongmen to the popular will of Nigerians.

Abiola’s victory could have assisted most Nigerians to believe that all Nigerians are equal partners in the Nigerian project.

This was because the victory was a defeat of the major dubious national divides which the elites have always exploited for their selfish advantages.

But the annulment killed that prospect and so we are yet to be a Nation that our founding fathers jointly founded to endure.

Thus NATIONAL UNITY remains elusive and it cannot be decreed. The Nigerian state must start to work to make all Nigerians have a sense of belonging.

The Nigerian state should accept that Nigeria’s prospect to genuine unity, growth and development can only be a reality if it respects the popular will being expressed by majority of Nigerians that our country should return to FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT.

This demand is proven by the fact that until the unfortunate military insurrection against democratic government on January 15, 1966, Federal and the Regional Governments were relatively productive and responding creditably to the genuine wishes and aspirations of their peoples.

Restoration to Federalism should not be in accordance with a partisan predilection but as approved by the people genuinely elected and or appointed through their cultural system not chosen by any government for them and not by a discredited legislature because it must also be pointedly stated that, that is the only way we became a country at all and the only way we can make progress as a country.

Centralization of the vital public sectors by various decrees and the appropriations to the Central government of all the Regional Major means of raising resources have crippled the component units since then.

Most states now depend on the monthly allocations to run their over bloated bureaucracies. Nigeria should stop living a lie by calling itself a federation when it is in fact being governed centrally under unitarism.

That the Nigerian State should formerly inaugurate post humously Bashorun MKO Abiola as a President of Nigeria.

That a National Monument of Consequence be named after President Abiola, as opposed to falsely presenting him as a regional hero or icon like by naming University of Lagos after him or even presenting his matter as if it is mainly of a regional interest.

NADECO hereby calls on Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola to note that the consequence of our collective insistence for justice, equity, and respect for the rule of law has now resulted to the near revalidation of his victory recorded on June 12, 1993.

And that we would not relent until all other associated matters raised along with June 12 election are achieved to the greater glory, unity, and development of Nigeria.

NADECO finally hereby invites the ethnic nationalities, professional bodies, traditional and religious bodies as well as civil society organizations to unite their ranks and positions to work towards a national agenda for genuine restoration to Federal Constitution Governance as per the Independence Constitution.

Ayo Opadokun                                                              Rear Admiral Godwin N. Kanu (Rtd)

General Secretary and spokesman                             Chairman