The former vice presidential candidate of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), which won the annulled June 12, 1992 presidential election, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe has said the victory of the All Progressives Congress over the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had finally laid to rest the ghost of the annulled June 12 election.
, The Chairman of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) Conference, said Nigerians, who were already fed up with the misrule and non-performance of the PDP, united to remove the party from power.
He said: “In Nigeria, we are living in the very exciting, challenging and interesting times. The divisiveness was an effort made by the political party but it was rejected by Nigerians and the other party that resolved not react accordingly. Efforts at dividing our people will not succeed. People are united in requesting democracy and freedom.
“For me, for the first time since 1992, perhaps Nigerians have purged themselves of the ghost of June 12. Several paradigms manifested. Perhaps now, the ghost of June 12 can rest due to the effort made by all through these years of trials and tribulations.”
Keynote speaker at the event, Major-General Ishola Williams (retd) called for the scrapping of the appellations of ‘Excellency’, ‘distinguished’ and ‘honourable’ ascribed to elected officials and other public servants, saying that most of those officials do not merit the titles.
He lamented how Nigerians were living in poverty despite many resources at the country’s disposal.
Ishola also said it was high time volumes of reports, whitepapers and other documents, before the federal government were implemented.