June 12’s Annulment : We’ll No Longer Tolerate Perversion Of Justice – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari, Tuesday, apologised to the family of acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, late Chief MKO Abiola, over the annulment of the election, saying never again will the country allow such perversion of justice.
He also apologised to families of those who lost their lives in the struggle to actualise Abiola’s mandate.
The President tendered the apologies on behalf of the nation at the Special National Honours Investiture of Chief MKO Abiola with the award of GCFR; Alhaji Babagana Kingibe and Chief Gani Fawehinmi with GCON at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The event had prominent Nigerians from all walks of life in attendance, except former Presidents of the country.
It was specifically announced that former President Ibrahim Babangida, who midwifed the annulled election, had tendered apology for his inability to attend the investiture because of I’ll health, while former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who has recently become a vocal critic of the Buhari administration, was said to have apologised for his absence because of international engagement.
Speaking on the occasion, President Buhari in an emotion-laden voice, said the decision to hold the event was not an attempt to open any wounds but to right the wrongs, adding that June 12 produced unity and national cohesion.
He said for inexplicable reasons, the then government of the day cancelled the election when it was clear that Chief Abiola was winning.
The President said Nigerians would no longer tolerate such pervasion of justice and that the decision to recognise June 12 was in the national interest.
He also pleaded with Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliations, to accept the decision in good faith.
Why we honoured Abiola, others — Buhari
He said: “Today, I am very happy to be present and to preside over the commemoration and investiture, marking the formal official Federal Government’s recognition of June 12 as National Democracy Day.
“The decision and this event are not meant to be an attempt to open old wounds but to put right a national wrong. Nigerians of their own free will voted for Late Chief MKO Abiola and Amb. Babagana Kingibe, the Presidential flag bearer and running mate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the 1993 elections.
“The government of the day inexplicably cancelled the elections when it was clear who were going to be the winners.
“We cannot rewind the past but we can at least assuage our feelings; recognize that a wrong had been committed and resolve to stand firm now and in the future for the sanctity of free elections. Nigerians would no longer tolerate such perversion of justice.
“This retrospective and posthumous recognition is only a symbolic token of redress and recompense for the grievous injury done to the peace and unity of our country.
“Our decision to recognize and honour June 12 and its actors is in the national interest. It is aimed at setting national healing process and reconciliation of the 25-year festering wound caused by the annulment of the June 12 elections. I earnestly invite all Nigerians across all our national divide to accept it in good faith.
“Our action today is to bury the negative side of June 12, the side of ill-feelings, hate, frustrations and agony. What we are doing is celebrating and appreciating the positive side of June 12, the June 12, which restates democracy and freedom, the June 12 that overcomes our various divide and the June 12 that produced unity and national cohesion. This is the June 12 we are celebrating today and we will nurture it to our next generation.
“Accordingly, on behalf of the Federal Government, I tender the nation’s apology to the family of Late MKO Abiola, who got the highest votes and to those that lost their loved ones in the cause of June 12 struggle.
“At this juncture, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like everybody present to stand and observe a minute silence in honour of the memory of Chief MKO Abiola and Chief Fawehinmi and indeed all those who lost their lives in the struggle of June 12 1993.”
Buhari most sensitive, reasonable head of state—Mohammed Fawehinmi Also speaking on behalf of the late legal icon and human rights activist, his first son, Mohammed Fawehinmi, described President Buhari as the most sensitive and reasonable head of state that listened to his people and acted accordingly.
He said June 12 was the foundation of democracy in the country and that the occasion was a show of entrenchment of unity of all citizens of the country regardless of religion and ethnic background. He said: “Your Excellency, I want to congratulate you for this gesture. You are the first sensitive and reasonable head of state that has listened to Nigerians and acted accordingly. June 12 is the foundation of democracy in this country.
“The recognition of Chief MKO Abiola as president-elect in this country not as presumed winner, I thank God that I have seen today. “I congratulate the family of MKO Abiola, everybody present, I am proud of all of you. I also congratulate all of my family members here present.
“These people stood their ground, sacrificed all they had for this country and I thank Nigerians that their sacrifices have not been in vain.
“Today is symbolic because it shows the entrenchment of unity of all citizens of this country, regardless of your tribe, ethic background, religious beliefs because we are all Nigerians.
“I want to appeal to all our politicians, for God’s sake, let us appreciate ourselves as Nigerians. Chief MKO won Hope ‘93 but he was not allowed to govern. President Buhari won and we thank God he was allowed to govern.
“We urge all Nigerians to support this man, to stop bickering and trivialities, religion and ethnic background. If you lose take it that way. We are experiencing problems in Nigeria now because of hatred of values but I know with Oga at the helm of affairs, things will be better for Nigeria. “Thank you Mr. President for this honour and we accept it wholeheartedly and we will continue to pray for you.” Abiola, Messiah Nigeria never had—Kingibe
In his remarks, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe commended the President for the courage in recognising June 12 and so proved him to be a man of conviction, fair-minded man who was clear on what was right and what was wrong; what was just and what was travesty of justice.
“The decision came to you naturally because you are a principled politician who refuses to be swayed by the expediency of the moment,” he said.
Kingibe recalled Abiola as a man of great wit and persuasive powers, full of energy and a great philanthropist truly committed to improving the lot of the poor masses.
He said: “Indeed, MKO was the messiah Nigerians never had opportunity to feel his liberating impact. The annulment of June 12 election had the tragic consequence of dissolving that unity we as a people exhibited on that historic date and turning us into a divided people who began to see one another as enemies.
“We must be thankful that we eventually survived the prolonged crisis, even with all the collateral damage to our body politic. Today, President Buhari has called upon us to inter the ghost of the acrimony surrounding June 12 and celebrate the principles and the joy it brought,” he stated.
MKO preferred to die than compromise unity of Nigeria—Hafsat Abiola Also speaking, daughter of the late MKO Abiola, Hasfat Abiola, said her father was steadfast in his bid to lead the country and preferred to die instead of compromising on the just course. She said: “It is difficult to try to stand in the shoes of a giant, one of the greatest humans the world ever had but that is the responsibility of why we are here today. And indeed, even for MKO Abiola, it was difficult for him to imagine how he would speak to Nigerians at his inauguration. “My mum told me how he would stand in the mirror as he was preparing his speech because the results were coming in; he thought he was going to deliver it. And you know he used to stammer, so he will start… “dear fellow Nigerians” but he never really got passed fellow Nigerians. “He would say a few words, he will say not like that and then start again and he kept struggling to say what he will say to Nigerians. Because what MKO wanted to say to the Nigerian people and all that MKO did say to the people of Nigeria is to say, I love you the people of Nigeria, I believe in you the people of Nigeria.
“He was born Yoruba but he loved Hausa people, Kanuri, Efik, Igbo people, he loved all. You just needed to be a Nigerian and MKO was your man. If he could help he would do. There are so many things he already did to show that and that was why the people of Nigeria rewarded him with the mandate of June 12, 1993.
“But we know that he was never able to deliver that speech but in many ways, the event that transpired later revealed to Nigerians the eloquence in his heart, the fidelity of his commitment and even his own deep abiding wish that if there was any way his own actions would in any way compromise the people of Nigeria, MKO preferred to die, he preferred to leave the earth rather than compromise on you, on your integrity as a people and your sovereignty as a nation. “Which was why even the day before he died, when he was still being pressured, he asked the question, how do you shave the people’s heads in their absence?
He knew he was present in the room he was pressured but he knew that so long as he refused to allow his own head to be shaved as a symbolic message to you the people of Nigeria, that you will be saved. “And when he died, we accepted his body and have watched in Nigeria as year after year till now the 25th year, you the people have suffered and he was not recognized at all.
“President Muhammadu Buhari, Nelson Mandela it was who said, ‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’ “Who would have ever believed, given the relationship that you had with Chief MKO Abiola that you would be the instrument God will use to honour this man and to bring recognition and healing to the country?
“You apologised to my family and it touched my heart. You know that I also lost my mother in this struggle. So, that apology meant so much. Let me use this opportunity, on behalf of Chief MKO Abiola, because I know what he would have done, to apologise to you, to apologise to your family, anything that he might have done to harm you and to harm your family.
