Southwest relives June 12

Southwest states were throbbing with huge parties yesterday as residents remembered the June 12, 1993 election — Nigeria’s fairest and freest ever.

There were various activities to celebrate the election, which was won by frontline businessman Chief Moshood Abiola.

He died in a titanic struggle to revalidate the election, which was annulled by the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime.

But it was also a day for the truth. Impunity in politics, corruption in the polity and election fraud must stop, some prominent politicians said.

It was the 20th anniversary of the presidential election.

Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti declared yesterday as public holiday to mark Democracy Day, which, in their view, the day represents. All the states are controlled by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

In Ondo State, which did not declare a public holiday, a lecture was held.

There were at least five activities at various venues across the Lagos metropolis. They attracted people from all walks of life.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and ACN National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for an end to impunity in the polity.

At Abiola’s Ikeja, Lagos home, a wreath was laid on his grave.

There was a march by top government officials in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital – the late Abiola’s home state – led by Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

The march terminated at Abiola’s house in the ancient city.

Other events in Lagos were held at Airport Hotel, Excellence Hotel and Sheraton Hotel. The Lagos State House of Assembly held a special session.

In Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan described June 12 as “a unique day that has changed the political history’’ of the country.

“Today is also a unique day, June 12, a date that has changed the political history of this country in one way or the other.

“In some parts of the country, some state governments have declared public holiday to mark today (yesterday), but at the centre, it has not been formally recognised as a public holiday.

“We appreciate what happened on this day that you are being inaugurated. I think it is a unique date,’’ he said.

The President spoke at the inauguration of the Board of the Police Service Commission held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Former Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro is the commission’s chairman.

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola urged the Federal Government to identify Abiola’s killers.

He urged the President to announce the result of the presidential election which is adjudged to be Nigeria’s freest ever and declare Abiola the true winner and thereafter accord the late businessman a posthumous honour.

He saluted the Abiola family members and condoled with them over the sacrifice paid by their bread winner for the enthronement of democracy.

Fashola and Tinubu criticised the culture of impunity that is threatening the survival of democracy.

The duo spoke at an event organised by the Lagos State Government in collaboration with the June 12 Coalition of Democratic Formations (J12CODEF). They insisted on electoral system that would guarantee a smooth transition in a democratic government.

Fashola, in his keynote address said democracy is beset with challenges both man-made and institutional, which he said the nation must fight to regain its place in the comity of nations.

According to him, the tenets of law and order must be entrenched if democracy must thrive. The absence of these key components pose a major threat for its survival, the governor said.

He said the lessons learnt from the June 12, 1993 election is enough to show the way for the nation to avoid threading the path that plunged it into its present situation.

He recalled that the process leading to the annulment of the elections as well as the inability of MKO Abiola to regain his freedom were key pointers to the consequences of flagrant abuse of law and order.

Fashola faulted the move by President Jonathan to rename the University of Lagos (UNILAG) after the late Abiola, saying the process was a sham and a disrespect for law and order.

He said: “Lately, an institution of higher learning, created by an act of parliament, which gave the institution its name, was visited with an action that in my view was done to mock the memories of Chief Abiola.

“The name of the institution was changed to MKO’s name without changing the law. I venture to argue that MKO would have distanced himself from such action if he were alive.

“If you are looking for proof, you will see it in the number of court cases he instituted whenever a threat was made on his life and those that he defended, as his proof for law and order.”

. Linking the impunity in leadership to the ongoing controversy surrounding the election of a Chairman for the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF), he said: “We are living witnesses to a bizarre arithmetic in a contest of numbers where 16 votes have become superior to 19 votes in a perplexing logic. If this is not an example of impunity, I do not know what it is.”

Fashola was referring to the 19 votes scored by Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi against Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang in the NGF poll and the Presidency’s recognition of Jang as NGF chair.

“The message we have heard is this, it must either be our way or the high way. We don’t give a damn; whatever will be, will be. For everybody’s sake, these messages do us no good. The perception of them creates bigger challenges for our democracy. We must stand up as a people, shun ethnic colouration, political affiliation and religious faith to banish this kind of messages from our national consciousness, whether they are real or imagined”.

Tinubu said the hope of Nigerians to get its electoral process right was thwarted 20 years ago when the June 12 election was annulled.

He lamented that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had not witnessed much transformation since the 1993 elections, whereas countries like Kenya and Sierra Leone have made huge progress in entrenching sustainable and credible electoral process.

Recalling the 1993 election, Tinubu said: “20 years ago today, millions of citizens went to the polls to vote. In some places, it rained; in others, it was warm and a happy sunshine. In a few other places, the sun was merciless. The statement that made people stay in long queues was more important than the harshness of the weather.

“They wanted to say ‘no’ to military dictatorship and affirm the virtue of a system of popular sovereignty. They wanted to say ‘yes’ to democracy, they were not only saying ‘yes’ to democracy, they were saying ‘yes’ to multi-ethnic democracy. They wanted to pull tribal jingoism or religious bigotry, they voted against violence and mediocrity, what was important for them was not the ethnic accent or the geographic office of the person who won.

“Yet we know what happened. We were all dazed when we were told by soldiers that our votes were not to be accepted. It generated crisis and paralysed our major cities. Politics became a promise for revenge especially to the people who did not yield to the demand of the military.”

Tinubu, represented by NADECO Secretary Ayo Opadokun, added: “Some suffered at that time and had to die years later. Prominent among them was Beko Ransome Kuti and others in the process. In cold blooded situation, journalists like Bagauda Kalto, his family was not allowed the dignity of giving him a good burial. Many were wounded. The biggest of them was Abiola himself, who became a martyr.”

He said Abiola’s struggle left a mark on the progressives to ensure the era of June 12 never repeats itself.

“It is a protest that gave birth to democracy and it is the protest that will keep it on its toes. When Abiola fought for the recognition of his mandate, he did it in the spirit of protest, many people went to the streets to protest, Abiola and Rewane died in the spirit of protest. Those who stand against protest do so in the spirit of tyranny, that the military prides itself in. I dare say that we stand to ensure that never again will a mufti crowd of people deny us of our fundamental rights.”

In his lecture titled “Nigeria’s Democracy and the crisis of political instability: An audit of Electoral system”, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, said the story of Nigeria is a metaphor of a recalcitrant child destined to be cramped and diminished.

The varsity don said the prevailing culture of impunity in the country has made the nation’s elections conflict-ridden, adding that the campaign preceding elections are marked by “pettiness, intolerance and violence”.

The event was attended by dignitaries, including Senator Oluremi Tinubu, NADECO chair Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Comrade Baba Omojola, members of the State Executive Council, civil society and youth groups, among others.