As a way of refreshing our sweet memories on the many albatrosses of the day and the occasion, it is now 27 years ago when the then military head of state, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, annulled the election of June 12, 1993 presidential election.
It was an election that Nigerians, non-Nigerians and by extension the global community will always live to remember with nostalgic political feelings and impressions. Directly or indirectly they got affected, notwithstanding the fact that they are not truly of Nigerian birth or origin. All the same, they were caught in the mixed political shenanigans of that seemingly ugly political scenario that nearly brought Nigeria to a standstill. A child born at that time, who, unarguably, was not old enough to discern what was happening, may have in one way or the other innocently got affected directly or indirectly too via the stress and traumatic experiences underwent by his or her parents when the struggle lasted.
The period, no doubt, could be described as one of the darkest political let downs of the country, which, unarguably, prides itself as the giant in the continent of Africa.
The election brought in its wake many hiccups here and there. Tempers rose unabated. Anger and frustration reigned supreme.
It was one agitation over the other bordering on the need for the revalidation of the election in which over 14 million Nigerians voted but giving their mandate overwhelmingly to the MKO Abiola/Baba Gana Kingibe joint ticket under the political platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Things fell apart and the political centre could no longer hold firmly, especially in the South-west where the protests and agitations gained ground.
The only step, to some extent, that got the frayed nerves of people over the June 12 conundrum, protests and agitations placated was when the administration of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar which took over the reign of leadership of Nigeria from IBB paved the way for the smooth transition of civil rule which culminated into the election of former Head of State, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo democratically elected president of Nigeria in May 29, 1999.
Notwithstanding this laudable measure which at least saw the military junta packing its bag and baggage out of the political scenes of the country, Nigerians still did not relax their calls and agitations for not only the revalidation of the election but official recognition of Chief MKO Abiola as the validly elected President of Nigeria as a way of lending credence to the election adjudged as the freest, fairest and most credible. All persuasions and pleas made to that effect by people, especially civil society organisations, other stakeholders and even international community, among others, to the succeeding administrations in Nigeria after President Obasanjo to give June 12 the necessary national backing fell on deaf ears.
However, last year, 2019, the unthinkable happened; President Muhammadu Buhari gave the necessary political and presidential birth to the election as he, as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, formally pronounced June 12 as Democracy Day.
The joy and excitement that greeted that official declaration could best be seen than described.
Up till today it has, to say the least, turned out to be an obligatory atonement for all the past hues and cries about the recognition and validation of June 12 by Nigerians. It became the needed soothing balm to assuage and placate the many wounds and even deaths that greeted the mother of all annulments ever heard of in Nigeria.
Like the proverbial bolt out of the blues of political equations in Nigeria sought for over two decades, President Buhari not only validated and recognised it but went the extra mile of formally carrying out the conferment of the national honour, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on the late MKO Abiola.
Added to this was what some informed analysts described as the mother of all apologies tendered on behalf of the federal government by President Buhari to the late Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, and his family over the June 12 election result brouhaha of 26 years made a nullity by the Professor Humphrey Nwosu led national electoral commission of that time.
At the risk of over flogging the importance of what seemed to be an impossibility which President Buhari did by turning what seemed an impossibility of 26 years to an instant possibility, this act of nobility and magnanimity of Mr President cannot go unnoticed. No doubt, it would continue to endear him in the hearts of all Nigerians.
As June 12 now gains official recognition as Democracy Day and national holiday annually, we earnestly salute, commend and applaud the act of statesmanship of Mr President, especially on the mother of all apologies he personally and openly tendered posthumously to the late Abiola and even laced it up with the conferment of the highest national honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic on the late multi-billionaire, business morgul, pillar of sports in Africa, philanthropist, wordsmith, multiple award winner, religionist, politician of Egba extraction and the immediate past Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Chief MKO Abiola.
Of particular worth of mention is the fact that though a surprise it turned out to be for virtually all Nigerians, the gesture of President Buhari will forever remain an appeasement and a move towards achieving an ever lasting reconciliation, national unity and cohesion.
However, by and large, we use this opportunity to call for effective implementation of yet to be resolved issues of officially declaring Chief MKO Abiola as one of the past Nigerian leaders in addition to sealing it up with all the attendant benefits therein.
Doing this will further make President Buhari a living legend in the annals of Nigeria’s political history. It is still not too late to attain this Utopian height with the necessary moral and political will by Mr President.In the interim, thank you so much, Mr President.
Moshood Suleiman,Osun State Broadcast Corporation, OSBC, Osogbo, Nigeria. 08035769261[email protected]
