Jubilation in Ondo as APC Lauds FG for Immortalising Abiola

There was jubilation at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat, in Akure, Ondo State, as leaders and members of the party commemorated June 12  as Nigeria's Democracy Day.

The party members said President Muhammadu Buhari has assuaged the feelings of Nigerians and the people of the Southwest in particular by the action of the federal government on the much awaited honour of the late Chief MKO Abiola believed by many to have won the 1993 presidential election.

 

Addressing the gathering, the state APC Chairman, Mr. Ade Adetimehin, commended Buhari for naming the Abuja National Stadium after Abiola who was also popularly known as the Africa Pillar of Sport.

He said Buhari had lived up to certain parts of the expectations of Nigerians concerning June 12, 1993, election.

"Nigerians, and particularly the Yoruba race, will not forget the action of President Buhari, who did not only change narrative about June 12 and Nigeria's democracy, but also named a monument after him. I commend him for doing this," Adetimehin said.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government commemorated the June 12 Democracy Day with a drama which highlighted various political events that preceded the June 12 and those that came after the fateful day, including the last days of both Abiola and the former military ruler, General Sanni Abacha.

The celebration with a theme: ‘Democracy Day: What The Future Holds’, had the traditional ruler the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, as the chairman.

At the event, Abolarin said despite the 20 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, the selfishness of the Nigerian leaders and elite eluded the country the real dividends of democracy.

The traditional ruler therefore called   on the present crop of leaders to fix the challenges confronting the country, as he bemoaned the military interjection of the civil rule in the country, saying Nigeria would have developed more but for the military interjection, which he said caused a major setback for the country.

He noted that it may take another 10 years for the country to start enjoying genuine democracy, saying: "Democracy is not a thing to get done overnight."

The monarch said many of the present leaders in the country may have died before the country would enjoy true and real democracy.

He also called on the federal government to recognise the heroes and heroines of democracy across the country for the roles they played in ensuring civil rule

in the country.

He commended the roles played by the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) in the process of returning to civil rule, recalling that many members of the organisation were killed and jailed while struggling for civil rule, lamenting that many of those who fought for democracy in Nigeria did not live to enjoy it.