June 12, 1993 Presidential Elections , A Watershed in our nation’s democratic journey. For all those who appreciates democracy for the freedom and opportunities it offers, that election was won and lost by democratic forces, but annulled by undemocratic forces who are responsible for setting our nation back today.
If that election was upheld, Nigeria would have been 26 years old in our democratic experiment.
Perhaps MKO, Abiola’s contributions would have altered our political destiny for the better. But, alas, we were denied of his inputs and contributions to Nation building as President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria.
Today, we are celebrating that elections in vacuum as the man , his party and ideologies never found a space in annals of our political historic economy. What a monumental loss!!!
Perhaps it will suffice a little for the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration and our party to adopt some if not all of the what the June 12 Presidential elections was woven around-the promises of MKO Abiola to Nigerians- in a manner to suggest the internalisation of the ideals of that historic moment of our dear country.
As we celebrate, we appreciate, we commend the administration for giving National and international recognition to the day Nigerians defiled ethnic and religious sentiments to elect a leader they all believed will ameliorate their humongous travails.
Nigeria, the biggest and most populous black nation on planet earth, deserves better living conditions given its abundant human and material weath, but politics, religion and ethnic barriers have remained cancerous in its entire fabrics.
As we now begin a new tenure in our democratic journey, the President and National Assembly need to agree and act on Constitutional Reforms that will extinguish these vices from our statutes books particularly the Constitution. We can emulate Rwanda whose collective desire to overcome the vices that led to the genocide have chosen to be “Banyarwanda” meaning we are all Rwandas.
We should all be Nigerians rather than being Hausa/Fulani, Ibo, Yoruba, Or Moslems or Christians.
Let’s unite and imbibe the spirit of June 12, besides its Celebration.
~ Hon Samson Raphael Osagie, Former Minority Whip, House of Representatives