The family of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, late Bashorun MKO Abiola, has called on the National Assembly to pass enabling legislation that would permanently enshrine June 12 as a significant part of Nigeria’s democratic history.
Speaking on Democracy Day in Abeokuta, Hameen Abiola, a son of the late politician and spokesman for the family, said the move is essential to safeguard the ideals of June 12 from being forgotten by future generations unfamiliar with the struggles and sacrifices that led to Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation.
Hameen emphasised that formal recognition through legislation would serve to immortalise not just MKO Abiola, but also his late wife, Kudirat Abiola, and the many Nigerians who lost their lives during the struggle to actualise the June 12 mandate.
He made the appeal while receiving a state government delegation led by Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele at the family home in Oja-Agbo, Abeokuta, where a special Islamic prayer session was held in honour of the late Abiola.
Noting recent political developments in the country, Hameen urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to take urgent steps to institutionalise the memory of June 12, ensuring younger generations understand the values, sacrifices, and democratic rebirth that followed the annulled 1993 election.
He said, “We appreciate the Federal Government of Nigeria for the honour done to 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, which 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.
“If you observe very well, you’ll realise that the current generation is getting old and it is our hope that going forward, the federal government will permanently sign a Bill into law saying that future generations will not abolish June 12 as Democracy Day in recognition of the sacrifice made by our late father.
“Why is that because some youths of this generation don’t understand the value of the sacrifice made by the late Chief MKO Abiola? So, we hope that a Bill will be passed that will permanently institutionalise and say that June 12 will continue to exist till the end of time in Nigeria.
“The only person that can do this is President Bola Tinubu because he had been there with our late father right from inception, he understood what we stood for, and so in addition to the support he has given the family, he should please help us with the bill.”
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
