The family of the martyr of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Aare Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola on Thursday, appealed to the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government to evolve a legislation that will permanently institutionalise June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
According to the Abiola family, this measure will permanently immortalise the late MKO Abiola and ensure that future generations in Nigeria does not abolish the day to commit the sacrifice by their late patriarch into the waste bin of history.
Spokesman for the Abiola family and one of the sons of the late winner of the 1993 Presidential elections, Hameen Abiola made the appeal on Thursday while speaking with journalists shortly after the annual visit of the state government delegation to the Abiola family house in Oja-Agbo, Abeokuta, the state capital.
Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele led the state delegation to join the family, friends and associates of the late politician at an Islamic prayer session in memory of the late MKO Abiola at their Abeokuta family house.
Speaking against the backdrop of future neglect, Hameen said recent developments in the country have made it crucial for the federal government and the National Assembly to evolve a way for the younger generations to learn the values and sacrifices of June 12, 1993, election annulment.
“We appreciate the Federal Government of Nigeria for the honour done our father. He is not only our father, but a father of many Nigerians, given the supreme sacrifice he had to pay for the democracy that we are all enjoying today.
“We thank former President Muhammad Buhari for conferring on our father the award of GCFR; that is a great step in the right direction. However it is our passionate appeal that the federal government can permanently enact a bill that will forever make June 12 Democracy Day so that the future generations who may not understand the roles that our father played in returning the country to democratic rule and therefore abolished this June 12 as the Democracy Day which is picked to celebrate our father, Chief MKO Abiola,” he said.
He observed that the current generation is getting old which makes it essential for a law to prevent future generations from abolishing June 12 as Democracy Day in recognition of the sacrifice made by Abiola.
Hameen noted that some youths do not currently understand the value of the sacrifice made by late Chief MKO Abiola. “So, it is our hope that a Bill will be evolved that will permanently institutionalise and say that June 12 will continue to exist till the end of time in Nigeria”.
He added that the only President Bola Tinubu can implement this as someone who “had been there with our late father right from inception. He understood what our father stood for. So, in addition to the support he has given the family, he should please help us with the bill”.
