You Erred by Changing Democracy Day, Group Tells Buhari

Voters Rights International, a nongovernmental organisation (NGO), on Thursday condemned the change of date of Nigerian democracy day from May 29 to June 12 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

A lawyer, who is the President of the group, Mr. Jezie Ekejiuba,  who spoke to journalists, threatened a legal action against the federal government for what he called unilateral annulment of May 29  Democracy Day.

He said Buhari has no powers in any law to so do without recourse to the National Assembly.

While commending the role the late MKO Abiola played in the entrenchment of democracy in the country's polity, Ekejiuba said the rights things must be done.

He described Buhari's annulment of May 29 Democracy Day as illegal and undemocratic.

According to him, “Like all well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy, we hereby join in commending you for proclaiming June 12 as Democracy Day and a National Public Holiday in Nigeria as well as your posthumous award of the highest national award of GCFR conferred on late Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, cancelled presidential election.

"We also welcome the deserved conferment on late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), the iconic human rights crusader, with the second highest award of GCON, along with Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe.

"However, Mr. President, you erred when you declared in your statement to wit: The investiture will take place on June 12, 2018, a date which in many years, will replace May 29 as National Public Holiday in celebration of Nigeria Democracy Day.

"Mr. President, have you forgotten that you were sworn in as elected President of Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29?  Have you also forgotten the significance and importance of May 29 which in the democratic history of Nigeria has witnessed the swearing-in of four Presidents of Nigeria-Olusegun Obasanjo, late Umaru Musa YarAdua, Goodluck Jonathan and your humble self.

"The above declaration translates to annulling May 29 as Democracy Day and National Public Holiday which was legally proclaimed by President Olusegun Obasanjo administration because of its significance.  The limit you could have done was to proclaim June 12 as Democracy Day and National Public Holiday.

"Mr. President, with due respect, it is illegal for you as a successor sitting president to annul the presidential proclamation of May 29 as Democracy Day and National Public Holiday which have been institutionalized, gazetted and actualised for the past 19 years of Nigeria's unbroken democracy by a mere stroke of a press statement without recourse to the National Assembly made up of elected representatives of the Nigerian people.”

Ekejiuba added: "The opinions and wishes of the voters who elected the unsworn President-elect, late Abiola, could not have been more valued and respected than the opinion and wishes of the voters who elected these sworned presidents who have actually governed Nigeria."

He expressed confidence that the annulment would be challenged in court if not reversed, adding that "we call on you sir to respect the wishes of both sides of the political divide by recognising both May 29 and June 12 as Democracy Days and National Public Holidays as any attempt to actualise the above declaration of replacing May 29 with June 12 as Democracy Day and National Public Holiday will be challenged at the court of justice."