Buhari Receives Commendation on the June 12 Declaration …confers posthumous GCFR title on late Abiola

Buhari Receives Commendation on the June 12 Declaration

…confers posthumous GCFR title on late Abiola

Commendations have been pouring in from different quarters on the President’s declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day.

President Muhammadu Buhari has announced June 12 as the new date for Democracy Day in Nigeria, while he also conferred a posthumous Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) title on the late Chief Moshood Abiola.

Late Abiola won the June 12, 1993 election which former President Ibrahim Babangida annulled.

The President in a tweet on his official handle explained why June 12 will replace May 29. He noted that June 12 is a more symbolic day.

According to him, June 12 is more symbolic than May 29 or October as Democracy Day.

“Dear Nigerians, I am delighted to announce that, after due consultations, the Federal Government 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.

“In the view of Nigerians, as shared by this Administration, June 12, 1993, was and is far more symbolic of Democracy in the Nigerian context than May 29, or even October 1,” his tweet read.

The president’s statement reads:

“For the past 18 years, Nigerians have been celebrating May 29 as Democracy Day. That was the date when for the second time in our history, an elected civilian administration took over from a military government.

“The first time this happened was on October 1st, 1979. But in the view of Nigerians, as shared by this Administration, June 12th, 1993, was far more symbolic of Democracy in the Nigerian context than May 29th or even the October 1.

“June 12th, 1993 was the day when Nigerians in millions expressed their democratic will in what was undisputed freest, fairest and most peaceful elections since our Independence.

“The fact that the outcome of that election was not upheld by the then military Government does not distract from the democratic credentials of that process.

“Accordingly, after due consultations, the Federal Government has decided that henceforth, June 12th will be celebrated as Democracy Day.

“Therefore, government has decided to award posthumously the highest honour of the land, GCFR, to late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12th 1993 cancelled elections.

“His running mate as Vice President, Amb. Baba Gana Kingibe, is also to be invested with a GCON.

“Furthermore, the tireless fighter for human rights and the actualization of the June 12 elections and indeed for Democracy in general, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) is to be awarded the GCON.

“The investiture will take place on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, a date which in future years will replace May 29 as a National Public Holiday in celebration of Nigeria Democracy Day,’’ Buhari said.

Suffices to say that, despite the country’s celebration of May 29^th as Democracy Day, June 12 had remained unforgettable date of the year for some Nigerians as some state governments in the south-west region had continued to observe June 12, every year, since the annulment of the election as their Democracy Day.

To the people and government of Ogun state, it is heartwarming news, the federal government declaring of June 12, as the official Democracy Day.

Kudos they give to what they described as President Muhammadu Buhari’s giant stride.

Some family members of late Moshood Abiola and cross section of the society have described the pronouncement as a new dawn to Nigeria’s Democracy

“Like it has always been our demand that June 12 be declared Democracy Day. So in spite of all our misgivings about President Buhari, that it is being given to us, l commend him”.