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PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI has directed that effective from next year,
Nigerian Democracy Day, marked every May 29th for the past 18 years be now
shifted to the 12th of June, to honor an illustrious son of Nigeria, Chief
Moshood Kashimawo Abila, who won a presidential election but was prevented
from taking office when the results were annulled.
The late Abiola died while struggling to actualizethe mandate.
Consequently, the late MKO Abiola will be conferred with nation’s highest
honor, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR exclusively
conferred on the holders of the highest office in the country, the
President.
In the same vein, Chief Abiola’s running mate in that election, Ambassador
Babagana Kingibe, is to be conferred with the second highest honor of the
Grand Commander of the Niger, GCON.
Also to receive a GCON is the late Nigeria’s foremost pro-democracy
activist, Gani Fawehinmi.
In a statement signed by him this evening, President Buhari said that:
“For the past 18 years, Nigerians have been celebrating May 29th, as
Democracy Day. That was the date when for the second time in our history,
an elected civilian administration took over from a military government.
The first time this happened was on October 21st, 1979. But in the view of
Nigerians, as shared by this Administration, June 12th, 1993, was far more
symbolic of Democracy in the Nigerian context than May 29th or even the
October 1st.
“June 12th, 1993 was the day when Nigerians in millions expressed their
democratic will in what was undisputedly the freest, fairest and most
peaceful elections since our Independence. The fact that the outcome of
that election was not upheld by the then military Government does not
distract from the democratic credentials of that process.
“Accordingly, after due consultations, the Federal ment has decided that
henceforth, June 12th will be celebrated as Democracy Day. Therefore,
Government has decided to award posthumously the highest honour of the
land, GCFR, to late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12th
1993 cancelled elections. His running mate as Vice President, Ambassador
Baba Gana Kingibe, is also to be invested with a GCON. Furthermore, the
tireless fighter for human rights and the actualization of the June 12th
elections and indeed for Democracy in general, the late Chief Gani
Fawehinmi SAN is to be awarded the GCON.
“The investiture will take place on Tuesday June 12th, 2018, a date which
in future years will replace May 29th as a National Public Holiday in
celebration of Nigeria Democracy Day.”