- Today is public holiday
By Lukman Olabiyi
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has declared today a public holiday to commemorate annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
A statement by his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka, said June 12 remains a watershed in the history of the country because of its significance in the nation’s democratic journey, having broken all ethnic and religious barriers.
“The annulled election is yet to be matched in terms of freeness, fairness, transparency, openness and widespread acceptability.
“Much as the electoral umpire who midwife subsequent elections tried, the annulled election remains the best in terms of organsation and no system adopted for the conduct of subsequent elections is yet to match Option A4 used to conduct the June 12 election.
“Besides, the resolve of Nigerians to put aside their differences and troop out en masse to collectively vote for a positive change was a demonstration of the fact that Nigerians were not ready to negotiate the unity of the country even in the face of diversity.
“That the symbol of the annulled election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, opted to pay the supreme price to defend his mandate has deepened democracy and the price he paid is what the political leaders are enjoying today.
“I want to, once again, urge the Federal Government to immortalise and officially recognise Abiola as a former president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and confer on him the highest honour in the land befitting of a former president.”
Also, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa described the June 12, 1993 presidential election as the fountain from which the present democratic dispensation derived its source.
Obasa gave the assessment in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Musbau Rasak. “It was an historic election which was adjudged the freest, fairest and most peaceful not only in Nigeria but also in the continent of Africa. It was, indeed, a watershed in Nigeria’s political history; a moment of joy for the people. The ultimate triumph of the people’s will over brute force,” the speaker said.
The Lagos speaker further said the nation should recognise the heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives for
the present democracy to emerge, particularly the winner of that particular election, the late Chief Abiola and his wife, Alhaja Kudirat.