Mr Dele Alake, a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, has narrated how the agitation to make June 12 Nigeria’s Democracy Day started.
He spoke at the Lagos State Democracy Day Youth Webinar monitored by our correspondent on Friday.
He said after Chief Moshood Abiola was denied as the winner of the June 12, 1993 election, strategy meetings were held on the next line of action.
He explained that a meeting was particularly held in 1999 between the then Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and four others involved in the June 12 struggle.
One of the resolutions of the meeting, he said, was to agitate for an official declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day.
He said, “What we celebrate today, the June 12. We had a meeting, myself, himself, Rauf Aregbesola and two others deliberated that it was the right thing to do was to make June 12 Democracy Day. Those of us at that meeting were all involved in the actualisation of June 12.
“When Asiwaju was sworn in on May 29, Saturday and resumed on Monday, a few of us were with him again. We sat down and deliberated. His very first action was to go to the press centre named after the previous military administrator.
“I wrote the speech he read there. He renamed the press centre the same day.
“I’m recalling all these things to enunciate the role of the leaders past and present to underscore the importance that today has, not just for us that took part.”
He also commended those he referred to as the heroes of democracy in the country, noting that the role of the media was helpful.
Alake added, “I will wish to make my own honest tribute to those I consider to be the real hero of June 12. Those dead and those still alive. I recall the supreme sacrifice paid by the winner of the election, the symbol of today, my late benefactor.
“Without the active involvement of the media then, who naturally and inexhaustibly, moved to become the parliament of the people, it would not have been possible during the military era.
“I pay tribute to the leader of the media in that era, among whom some also paid the supreme sacrifice
“I also pay my tribute to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who also played a prominent role in and out of Nigeria. Who was also the sustaining force of the media then. And even the same when he came back to the country.”
The PUNCH reports that June 12, 1993 presidential election has become a watershed in Nigeria’s political history.
The election was widely believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola and his running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe.
The uproar that greeted the annulment of the election by military President Ibrahim Babangida forced him to ‘step aside’ from the seat of power.
Afterwards, General Sani Abacha took over, until his demise and later that of Chief MKO Abiola, in 1998.
In 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari apologised to the family of Chief M.K.O Abiola and conferring a posthumous award on him as the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, GCFR.
At present, May 29 has given way to June 12 as the country’s Democracy Day.
Credit: punchng.com
