Jonathan: June 12, Unique Date in Nigeria’s History

 

On Wednesday President Goodluck Jonathan described June 12, the day in which a presidential election, widely adjudged as the best in Nigeria’s annals, was annulled 20 years ago, as an outstanding day in the nation’s history that should be acknowledged.

Jonathan made the observation while inaugurating the Police Service Commission (PSC), chaired by a former Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mike Okiro, at the State House, Abuja.

Wednesday marked the 20th anniversary of the annulment of the election that was widely believed to have been won by the late businessman turned politician, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.

As part of activities to mark the day, symposia and rallies were held in Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun and Ondo States where participants harped on the need to strengthen the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria, which the struggle for the revalidation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election results helped to achieve. The day was also declared as public holiday in the states.

Some of the speakers at the symposia urged the federal government to immortalise Abiola while others expressed concern about the state of the nation, 14 years after the events of June 12, 1993 precipitated the crisis that culminated in the rebirth of democracy in 1999.

According to the president, the struggle has, in ways he did not mention, affected the political landscape of the country and the trajectory of its conduct of the affairs of state.

He said: “June 12 is a unique day. It is a date that has changed the political history of this country in one way or the other. We appreciate what happened on this day. I think it is a unique date.” 

He added that although some states had declared June 12 as a public holiday to celebrate the important event, “but at the centre, it has not been formally recognised as a public holiday”.

At an occasion to mark the day in Lagos, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), frowned on the decision of the federal government to ground an aircraft, which had on board his Edo and Rivers States’ counterparts, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole and Mr. Chibuike Amaechi.

He also condemned the political intrigues that played out after the election of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), describing it as a contest of numbers in which 16 votes have become superior to 19 votes in the most perplexing logic.

He also faulted the decision of Jonathan to rename the University of Lagos (UNILAG) after the late Abiola.

He said the decision was designed “to mock his memories as the name of the institution was changed to MKO’s name without changing the law”.

While speaking at the anniversary, Action Congress of Nigeria’s (ACN) national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, lamented the state of the country’s democratic institutions, 14 years after transition from military regime.

He said: “We are here to assess our progress. Our 14 years of democratic rule coincide with 20 years of June 12. We have made progress, though it is very slow. When Abiola won the June 12, 1993 election, we thought we had put electoral fraud behind us; 20 years after, we are still grappling with it.

“INEC has not witnessed any serious structural change, but vast results of fraud that forced progressives to go to court. The court exposed the fraud and gave back the people their mandate, especially in the South-west and Edo State. Elections in the 21st century are made to reflect the technology of today.”

Tinubu, who was represented by CODER’s National Coordinator, Chief Ayo Opadokun, commended prominent arrowheads of the June 12 struggle among whom he named Dr. Ransome Kuti and Bagauda Kalto of blessed memories.
At another occasion in Lagos to mark the day, the Jonathan administration came under heavy criticisms over the state of the nation.

Human rights activists and members of the civil society, at the event organised by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), demanded that steps should be taken to ensure a posthumous declaration of the late Abiola as a former president.