The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) has asked President Bola Tinubu to recognize Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, also known as M. K. O. Abiola as a former president of Nigeria.
The CDHR in a statement by its National President, Debo Adeniran, urged the President to declare June 12 as M.K.O Abiola Day.
Adeniran said there is nothing too much to give a man who sacrificed his life for the enthronement of democracy in the country.
He said: “Democracy Day carries huge significance for many Nigerians. It was on this date in 1993 that a general election was held for the first time since the 1983 military coup, which toppled the democratically elected government of late President Shehu Shagari.
“Many observers have described the event as the most significant in Nigeria’s post-independence political history.
“To this end, we at the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) were taken aback and our hopes were dashed during and after your Democracy day speech.
“This was due to the fact that we expected you to declare MKO Abiola as former President of our great country. The immediate past President, Buhari has surpassed you by recognizing the day and making it democracy day to be celebrated by all and sundry in the country.
“We expected you to go a step further by recognizing him as a former President and even naming June 12, M.K.O Abiola Day to be fashioned after the famous Martin Luther King Jr. Day which is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the third Monday of January each year.
“We believe there is nothing too much to give a man who sacrificed his life for the enthronement of democracy in the country, hence it will be more gratifying if the Aso Rock Presidential Villa is named after him.
“We have always known you to be part and parcel of the struggle for democracy which MKO Abiola sacrificed his life, hence we looked up to you to complete the process of honouring Abiola by declaring him the winner of June 12 elections.
“This would also go a long way in healing the wounds inflicted on the people by all that happened due to the annulment of that election and subsequent demise of Abiola and all other patriots that lost their lives during that time.
“Your Excellency, although today, we are all basking in the euphoria of a peaceful transfer of power from successive democratically elected governments, it is not yet uhuru.
“Your administration and indeed all Nigerians must ensure that the failed promises of June 12, such as abrogation of poverty, equity and justice which the enemies of democracy who ganged up and criminally annulled the election did not allow to materialize are actualized under your administration.
“Economic prosperity, security, goodwill and a sense of unity that are some of the hallmarks of the June 12 struggles should be seen as the building blocks of a true and enduring democracy which you are spearheading.”
