Students slept in Unilag and Woke up in Moshood Abiola University, what a miracle. Nigeria President GoodLuck Jonathan is full of surprises,January 1st he gave us a New Year Gift by removing subsidy,Today Democracy Day, He Also gave us another Gift which is renaming Unilag University to Moshood Abiola University!Beware October 1st You will just hear that Nigeria has been Sold τ̅☺  China.

Kobojunkie:

Significant in what sense? You wey you know your history, do tell us what significance the events of June 12th 1993 served this nation, that we ought to dedicate a day, of the 365 days we have each year, to it.

Kobojunkie, let's get started.

Fellow Nigerians,

I address you today with a deep sense of world history and particularly of the history of our great country. In the aftermath of the recently annulled Presidential Election, I feel, as I believe you yourself feel, a profound sense of disappointment at the outcome of our last efforts at laying the foundation of a viable democratic system of government in Nigeria .

I therefore wish, on behalf of myself and members of the National Defence and Security Council and indeed of my entire administration, to feel with my fellow countrymen and women for the cancellation of the election. It was a rather disappointing experience in the course of carrying through the last election of the transition to civil rule programme.

Nigeria has come a long way since this administration assumed power and leadership about eight years ago. In the attempt to grapple with the critical and monumental problems and challenges of National existence and social progress, this administration inaugurated and pursued sound and justifiable policies and programmes of reform.

These policies and programmes have touched virtually all aspects of our national life – the economy, political process, social structures, external relations, bureaucracy and even the family system. I believe strongly that in understanding, conception,
formulation and articulation, these policies and programmes are not only sound but also comparatively unassailable. I believe too that history, with the passage of time, would certainly score the administration high in its governance of our country.

Let me also express my deep conviction that the core strategy and structures of our reform policies and programmes, as enunciated in 1986/87 would, for a very long time, remain relevant and durable in the course of changing our country positively. I believe that at the exit of the Administration from power, we would leave behind for
prosperity, a country with an economy, the structures of which have been turned around for good. The average Nigerian person has come to reconcile himself with the fact that his or her social progress remain essentially in his or her hands in collaboration with other fellow Nigerians and not merely relying on what government alone could provide for him or her. The days are gone for good, when men and women trooped to government establishments for employment and for benevolence.

This administration has built the foundation that would take Nigerians away from their previous colonially-induced motivations and the encumbrances of colonialism. We have laid the foundation for self-reliant economic development and social justice. We have established a new basis in our country in which economic liberalization would continue to flourish alongside democratic forces and deregulated power structure. In all these, the average Nigerian person has more than ever before this administration imbibed and assimilated the values of hard work, resilience and self-confidence.

It is true that in the course of implementing our reform policies and programmes and especially because of the visionary zeal with which we approached the assignment and responded to incidental pressures of governance, we engendered a number of social forces in the country.

This is so because we sought to challenge and transform extant social forces which had in the past impeded growth and development of our country. We also sought to deal with the new forces to which our programmes of action gave rise. Thus in dealing with the dynamics of both the old and new social forces, we ran into certain difficulties.

In particular, during the course of handling the interlocking relationships between the old and new political forces and institutions, some problems had arisen leading us into a number of difficulties and thereby necessitating our having to tamper with the
rules and regulations laid down in the political programme. As a result, the administration unwittingly attracted enormous public suspicions of its intentions and objectives. Accordingly, we have experienced certain shortfalls and conflicting responses to the pulls and pushes of governance in the course of policy implementation.

I believe that areas of difficulties with the transition programme, especially from the last quarter of 1992 to the recent cancelled presidential election, derived primarily from the shortfalls in implementing the programmes of actions which, though objectively taken, may have caused a deviation from the original framework and
structure of the programme.

Fellow Nigerians, it is true that by the cancelled presidential election, we all found the nation at a peculiar bar of history which was neither bargained for, nor was it envisaged in the reform programmes of transition as enunciated in 1986/87. In the
circumstance, the administration had no option than to respond appropriately to the unfortunate experience of terminating the presidential election. Our actions are in full conformity with the original objectives of the transition to civil programme. It was also
in conformity with the avowed commitment of the administration to advance the cause of national unity, stability, and democracy. In annulling the presidential election, this administration was keenly aware of its promise in November 1992 that it would disengage and institute a return to democracy on August 27, 1993. We are
determined to keep the promise.

Since this transition, and indeed any transition, must have an end, I believe that our transition programme should and must come to an end, honestly and honourably.

History will bear witness that as an administration we have always striven, in all our policy decisions, to build the foundation of lasting democracy. Lasting democracy is not a temporary show of excitement and manipulation by an over-articulate section of the elite and its captive audience; lasting democracy is a permanent diet to nurture the soul of the whole nation and the political process.

Therefore, it is logical, as we have always insisted upon, that lasting democracy must be equated with political stability.

Informed by our sad experience of history, we require nothing short of a foundation for lasting democracy. As an administration, we cannot afford to leave Nigerian into a Third Republic with epileptic convulsions in its democratic health. Nigeria must therefore confront her own reality; she must solve her problems notwithstanding
other existing models of democracy in other parts of the world.

In my address to the nation in October 1992, when the first presidential primaries were cancelled, I had cause to remind our country men and women that there is nowhere iin the world in which the practice of democracy is the same, even if the principles are similar and even for countries sharing the same intellectual
tradition and cultural foundation. The history of our country is not the history of any other country in the world which is either practicing advanced democracy or struggling to lay the foundation for democracy. Yet, in spite of the uniqueness and peculiarities of Nigeria, there are certain prerequisites which constitute an
irreducible minimum for democracy. Such essential factors include:

A. Free and fair elections;
B. Uncoerced expression of voters preference in election;
C. Respect for electorate as unfettered final arbiter on elections;
D. Decorum and fairness on the part of the electoral umpires;
E. Absolute respect for the rule of law.

Fellow Nigerians, you would recall that it was precisely because the presidential primaries of last year did not meet the basic requirements of free and fair election that the Armed Forces Ruling Council, the, had good reason to cancel those primaries. The recently annulled presidential election was similarly afflicted by
these problems.

Even before the presidential elections, and indeed at the party conventions, we had full knowledge of the bad signals pertaining to the enormous breach of the rules and regulations of democracy elections. But because we were determined to keep faith with the deadline of 27th August 1993 for the return of civil rule, we overlooked the reported breaches. Unfortunately, these breaches continued into the presidential election of June 12, 1993, on an even greater proportion.

There were allegations of irregularities and other acts of bad conduct leveled against the presidential candidates but NEC went ahead and cleared them. There were proofs as well as documented evidence of widespread use of money during the party primaries as well as the presidential election. These were the same bad conduct
for which the party presidential primaries of 1992 were cancelled.

[b]Evidence available to government put the total amount of money spent by the presidential candidates as over two billion , one hundred million naira (N2.1 billion). The use of money was again the major source of undermining the electoral process.

Both these allegations and evidence were known to the National Defence and Security Council before the holding of the June 12, 1993 election, the National Defence and Security Council overlooked these areas of problems in its determination to fulfill the promise to hand over to an elected president on due date.

Apart from the tremendous negative use of money during the party primaries and presidential elections, there were moral issues which were also overlooked by the Defence and National Security Council. There were cases of documented and confirmed conflict of interest between the government and both presidential aspirants which would compromise their positions and responsibilities were they to become
president. We believe that politics and government are not ends in themselves. Rather, service and effective amelioration of the condition of our people must remain the true purpose of politics.[/b]

It is true that the presidential election was generally seen to be free, fair and peaceful. However, there was in fact a huge array of election malpractices virtually in all the states of the federation before the actual voting began. There were authenticated reports of the election malpractices against party agents, officials of the National Electoral Commission and also some members of the electorate.

If all of these were clear violations of the electoral law there were proofs of manipulations through offer and acceptance of money and other forms of inducement against officials of the National Electoral Commission and members of the electorate. There were also evidence of conflict in the process of authentication and clearance of credentials of the presidential candidates. Indeed, up to the last few hours to the election, we continued in our earnest steadfastness with our transition deadline, to overlook vital facts.

For example, following the council’s deliberation which followed the court injunction suspending the election, majority of members of the National Defence and Security Council supported postponement of the election by one week. This was to allow NEC enough time to reach all the voters, especially in the rural areas, about the postponement. But persuaded by NEC that it was capable of relaying the information to the entire electorate within the few hours left before the election, the council, unfortunately, dropped the idea of shifting the voting day. Now, we know better. The conduct of the election, the behaviour of the candidates and post-election responses continued to elicit signals which the nation can only ignore at its peril.

It is against the foregoing background that the administration became highly concerned when these political conflicts and breaches were carried to the court.

It must be acknowledged that the performance of the judiciary on this occasion was less than satisfactory. The judiciary has been the bastion of the hopes and liberties of our citizens.

Therefore, when it became clear that the courts had become intimidated and subjected to the manipulation of the political process, and vested interests then the entire political system was in clear dangers.

This administration could not continue to watch the various high courts carry on their long drawn out processes and contradictory decisions while the nation slides into chaos.

It was under this circumstance that the National Defence and Security Council decided that it is in the supreme interest of law and order, political stability and peace that the presidential election be annulled. As an administration, we have had special interest and concern not only for the immediate needs of our society, but also in laying the foundation for generations to come.

To continue action on the basis of the June 12, 1993 election, and to proclaim and swear in a president who encouraged a campaign of divide and rule among our ethnic groups would have been detrimental to the survival of the Third Republic. Our need is for peace, stability and continuity of politics in the interest of all our people.

Fellow countrymen and women, although the National Electoral Commission and the Centre for Democratic Studies officially invited foreign observers for the presidential elections, the administration also considered it as important as a democratic society, that our activities and electoral conduct must be open not only to the citizenry of our country but also to the rest of the world. In spite of this commitment, the administration did not and cannot accept that foreign countries should interfere in our internal affairs and undermine our sovereignty.

The presidential election was no an exercise imposed on Nigerians by the United Nations or by the wishes of some global policemen of democracy. It was a decision embarked upon independently by the government of our country and for the interest of our country. This is because, we believe, just like other countries, that democracy and democratization are primary values which Nigerians should cultivate, sustain and consolidate so as to enhance freedom, liberties and social development of the citizenry.

The actions of these foreign countries are most unfortunate and highly regrettable. There is nowhere in the history of our country or indeed of the third world where these countries can be said to love Nigeria or Nigerians any more that the love we have for ourselves and for our country. Neither can they claim to love Nigeria any more than this administration loves our country.

Accordingly, I wish to state that this administration will take necessary action against any interest groups that seek to interfere in our internal affairs. In this vein, I wish to place on record the appreciation of this administration for the patience and understanding of Nigerians, the French, the Germans, the Russians and Irish governments in the current situation. I appeal to our fellow countrymen and women and indeed our foreign detractors that they should cultivate proper understanding and appreciation of the peculiar historic circumstances in the development of our country and the determination not only of this administration but indeed of all Nigerians to resolve the current crises.

Fellow Nigerians, the National Security and Defence Council have met several times since the June 12, 1993 election. The council has fully deliberated not only on our avowed commitment but also to bequeathing to posterity, a sound economic and political base in our country and we shall do so with honour. In our deliberations, we have also taken note of several extensive consultations with other members of this administration, with officers and men of the Armed Forces and will well-meaning Nigerian leaders of thought. We are committed to handing over power on 27th August 1993.

Accordingly, the National Defence and Security Council has decided that by the end of July 1993 the two political parties, under the supervision of a recomposed National Electoral Commission, will put in place the necessary process for the emergence of two presidential candidates.

This shall be conducted according to the rules and regulations governing the election of the president of the country. In this connection, government will in consultation with the two political parties and National Electoral Commission agree as to the best and quickest process of conducting the election.

In the light of our recent experience and, given the mood of the nation, the National Defence and Security Council has imposed additional conditions as a way of widening and deepening the base of electing the president and sanitizing the electoral process. Accordingly, the candidates for the coming election must:

(1) Not be less than 50 years old.
(2) Have not been convicted of any crime;
(3) Believe, by act of faith and practice, in the corporate existence of Nigerians;
(4) Posses records of personal, corporate and business interests which do not conflict with the national interests;
(5) Have been registered members of either of the two political parties for at least one year to this election.

All those previously banned from participating in the transition process other than those with criminal records, are hereby unbanned. They can all henceforth participate in the electoral process. This is with a view to enriching the quality of candidature for the election and at the same time tap the leadership resources of our country to the fullest. The decree to this effect will be promulgated.

Fellow Nigerians, I wish to finally acknowledge the tremendous value of your patience and understanding, especially in the face of national provocation.

I urge you to keep faith with the commitment of this administration.

I enjoin you to keep faith with the unity, peace and stability of our country for this is the only country that you and I can call our own. Nowhere in the world, no matter the prompting and inducements of foreign countries, can Nigerians ever be regarded as first class citizens. Nigeria is the only country that we have. We must therefore renew our hope in Nigeria, and faith and confidence in ourselves for continued growth, development and progress.

Thank you all, and God bless you.

Kobojunkie:

Why does the FG need to consider this, if at all? Our schools are in decay mode . . . have been for a couple of years now. Why is that not of higher priority than this? Why do we need to rename a National Brand with this? Who is MKO to Nigeria as a whole(notice I did not ask you of who he was to his village people)?

This was the best the FG could do for MKO. It is sad that 52 years after Independence we play politics with everything. He is the winner of the 1993 election that was annulled by his Friend IBB, that was an election Nigerian spoke with one voice I guess dat should count.

co2:
This was the best the FG could do for MKO. It is sad that 52 years after Independence we play politics with everything. He is the winner of the 1993 election that was annulled by his Friend IBB, that was an election Nigerian spoke with one voice I guess dat should count.

The best FG could do for MKO? Are you serious? Cause it seems you are the one playing politics with this right now. MKO happened to be a man, like any other, who was robbed of his 'win'. Care to guess how many times similar has happened in the history of Nigeria? It probably happened in 2011?

The FG could have instead made a statement reversing the annulment, or something, name a national institution after a man who was controversial during his time. Even if that election had been annulled, he would have remained a controversial figure.

That was the annulment speech delivered on June 26, 1993.

It was already announced that MKO had won in core North, clearing the strong hold of his opponent. For no just cause, the general ordered that the results, hitherto being announced should be put on hold. When Nwosu, seemed not willing to follow the order, he was taken to an unknown location and the nation was in a total information darkness.

In the speech, IBB concocted all manners of stupid excuses to annul an election he acknowledged to be free, fair and peaceful. He was a military ruler who could have postponed the elections if the conditions were not right. He chose to cancel an election where ethnicity, religion, tribalism and thuggery were not an issue. It was a day that Nigerians as fragmented as our nation was and still is, put sentiments aside and elected a candidate they deemed worthy of the throne. That Abiola won convincingly in the city of kano was a testimony that sentiments were of inconsequential effect on the outcome of the election.

The question on the lips of everybody was why, why and why?

Demonstrations were competing with civil disobedience. The nation was paralysed with all manner of demonstrations and civilian causalities were mounting on daily basis. The first direct casualty of the importance and significant of June 12, a day the military was demystified, was the IBB government itself. The general, sensing that the nation was drifting apart and that he had bite more that he coulld chew, hastily left power and brought the unreasonable, the Shoneken administration.

That was an insult. In fact the competence of an interim government was challenged in court. Demonstrations continue, all manners of strikes, and even the mother of all strikes by NLC brought the nation to stand still. Nigeria was obviously tensed, not working and could just explode any moment.

The military came back again, now with Abacha heading the Provisional Ruling Council. Demonstrations continued, but Abacha, a no nonsense general did not move despite mounting civilian casualties. At a point, people were losing hope that democracy might never exist again in Nigeria.

In a speech where he put his life on the line and in what amounted to a direct challenge to military dictatorship in Nigeria, Abiola delivered these at Epetedo on June 11, 1994:

Enough is enough’

PEOPLE of Nigeria, exactly one year ago, you turned out in your millions to vote for me, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But politicians in uniform, ­ who call themselves soldiers but are more devious than any civilian would want to be, deprived you of your God-given right to be ruled by the President you had yourselves elected. These soldier-politicians introduced into our body politic, a concept hitherto unknown to our political lexicography, something strangely called the “annulment” of an election perceived by all to have been the fairest, cleanest and most peaceful ever held in our nation.

Since that abominable act of naked political armed robbery occurred, I have been constantly urged by people of goodwill, both in Nigeria and abroad, to put the matter back into the people’s hands and get them to actualise the mandate they gave me at the polls. But mindful of the need to ensure that peace continues to reign in our fragile federation, I have so far tried to pursue sweet reason and negotiation. My hope has always been to arouse whatever remnants of patriotism are left in the hearts of these thieves of your mandate, and to persuade them that they should not allow their personal desire to rule to usher our beloved country into an era of political instability and economic ruin. All I have sought to do, in seeking dialogue with them, has been to try and get them to realise that only real democracy can move our nation forward towards progress, and earn her the respect she deserves from the international community.

However, although this peaceful approach has exposed me to severe censure by some who have mistaken it for weakness on my part, those with whom I have sought to dialogue have remained like stones, neither stirred to show loyalty to the collective decision of the people of their own country, nor to observe Allah’s injunction that they should exhibit justice and fair-play in all their dealings with their fellow men. Appeals to their honour as officers and gentlemen of the gallant Nigerian Armed Forces, have fallen on deaf ears. Instead, they have resorted to the tactics of divide and rule, bribery and political perfidy, misinformation and (vile) propaganda. They arrest everyone who disagrees with them. Even the 71-year old hero of our nation, Chief Anthony Enahoro, was not spared. How much longer can we tolerate all this? .

People of Nigeria, you are all witnesses that I have tried to climb the highest mountain, cross the deepest river and walk the longest mile, in order to get these men to obey the will of our people. There is no humiliation I have not endured, no snare that has not been put in my path, no “set-up” that has not been designed for me in my endeavour to use the path of peace to enforce the mandate that you bestowed on me one year ago. It has been a long night. But the dawn is here. Today, people of Nigeria, I join you all in saying, “Enough is Enough!”

We have endured 24 years of military rule in our 34 years of independence. Military rule has led to our nation fighting a civil war with itself. Military rule has destabilised our nation today as not before in its history. Military rule has impoverished our people and introduced a dreadful trade in drugs which has made our country’s name an anathema in many parts of the world. Even soccer fans going to watch the Green Eagles display in America are being made to suffer there needlessly because Nigeria’s name is linked with credit card and fraud and “419.”

Politically, military rule has torn to shreds the prestige due to our country because of its size and population. The permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council that should be rightfully ours, is all but lost. For who will vote for Nigeria to get the seat if Nigerian military rulers do not respect the votes of their own people? Enough of military rule.

We are sickened to see people who have shown little or no personal achievement, either in building up private businesses, or making success of any tangible thing, being placed in charge of the management of our nation’s economy, by rulers who are not accountable to anyone. Enough of square pegs in round holes. We are tired of the military repetitive tendency to experiment with our economy: Today, they say “no controls.” Tomorrow; they say “Full controls”. The day after, they say “Fine tuning”. The next day, they say “Devaluation.” a few days later, they say “Revalue the same naira upwards again Abi?” All we can see are the consequences of this permanent game of military “about ­turns;” high inflation , a huge budget deficit and an enormous foreign debt repayment burden, dying industries, high unemployment and a demoralised populace. Our youths, in particular, can see no hope on the horizon, and many can only dream of escaping from our shores to join the brain drain. Is this the Nigeria we want?

We are plagued also by periodic balance of payments crises, which have led to a perennial shortage of essential drugs, that has turned our hospitals and clinics into mortuaries. A scarcity of books and equipment has rendered our schools into desolate deserts of ignorance. Our factories are crying for machinery, spare parts and raw materials. But each day that passes, instead of these economic diseases being cured, they are rather strengthened as an irrational allocation of foreign exchange based on favouritism and corruption becomes the order of the day. Enough is enough of economic mismanagement!

People of Nigeria, during the election campaign last year, I presented you with a programme entitled “HOPE ’93″. This programme was aimed precisely at solving these economic (problems) that have demoralized us all. I toured every part of Nigeria to present this programme to you the electorate. I was questioned on it at public rallies and press conferences and I had the privilege of incorporating into it much of the feedback that I obtained from the people. Because you knew I would not only listen to you but deliver superb results from the programme, you voted for me in your millions and gave me an overwhelming majority over my opponent. To be precise, you gave me 58.4 per cent of the popular vote and a majority in 20 out of 30 states plus the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Not only that, you also enabled me to fulfil the constitutional requirement that the winner should obtain one-third of the votes in two-thirds of the states. I am sure that when you cast an eye on the moribund state of Nigeria today, you ask yourselves: “What have we done to deserve this, when we have a president-elect who can lead a government that can change things for the better?

Our patience has come to an end. As of now, from this moment, a new Government of National Unity is in power throughout the length and breath of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, led by me, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, as President and Commander-in-Chief. The National Assembly is hereby reconvened. All dismissed governors are reinstated. The State Assemblies are reconstituted, as are all local government councils. I urge them to adopt a bi-partisan approach to all the issues that come before them. At the national level, a bi-partisan approach will be our guiding principle.

I call upon the usurper, General Sani Abacha, to announce his resignation forthwith, together with the rest of his illegal ruling council. We are prepared to enter into negotiations with them to work out the mechanics for a smooth transfer of power. I pledge that if they hand over quietIy, they will be retired with all their entitlements, and their positions will be accorded all the respect due to them. For our objective is neither recrimination nor witch-hunting, but an enforcement of the will of the Nigerian people, as expressed in free elections conducted by the duly constituted authority of the time.

I hereby invoke the mandate bestowed upon me by my victory in the said election, to call on all members of the Armed Forces and the Police, the Civil and Public Services throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to obey only the Government of National Unity that is headed by me, your only elected President. My Government of National Unity is the only legitimate, constituted authority in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as of now.”

People of Nigeria, these are challenging times in the history of our continent, Africa, and we in Nigeria must not allow ourselves to be left behind. Our struggle is the same as that waged by the people of South Africa, which has been successfully concluded, with the inauguration of Mr. Nelson Mandela as the first African President of that country. Nelson Mandela fought to replace MINORITY rule with MAJORITY rule. We in Nigeria are also fighting to replace MINORITY rule, for we are ruled by only a tiny section of our armed forces. Like the South Africans, we want MAJORITY rule today, that is rule only by those chosen by all the people of Nigeria as a whole in free and fair elections. The only difference between South Africa and Nigeria is that those who imposed minority rule on the majority rule whether it is by black or white, remains minority rule, and must be booted out.

I call on you, heroic people of Nigeria, to emulate the actions of your brothers and sisters in South Africa and stand up as one person to throw away the yoke of minority rule for ever. The antics of every minority that oppresses the majority are always the same. They will try to intimidate you with threats of police action. But do not let us fear arrest. In South Africa, so many people were arrested, during the campaign against the Pass Laws, for instance, that the jails could not hold all of them. Today, apartheid is gone for ever. So, let it be with Nigeria. Let us say goodbye forever to minority rule by the military. They talk of treason. But haven’t they heard of the Rivonia treason trial in South Africa? Did those treason trials halt the march of history?

People of Nigeria, ourtime is now. You are the repository of power in the land. No one can give you power. It is yours. Take it! From this day, show to the world that anyone who takes the people of Nigeria for fools is deceiving himself and will have the people to answer to.

God bless you all.Long live the Federal Republic ofNigeria.Long live the Government of National Unity.

Students slept in Unilag and Woke up in
Moshood Abiola University, what a
miracle. Nigeria President GEJ is full of
surprises, January 1st he gave us a
New Year Gift by removing subsidy,
Today Democracy Day, He Also gave us another Gift which is renaming Unilag
to Mashood Abiola University! Beware
October 1st You might just hear that
Nigeria has been Sold τ̅☺ China!=))

In that speech, Abiola, in all essential points, declared himself Nigerian President. He was arrested and incarcerated. All efforts, persuasion, pleas, appeasement etc that Abiola should be tried in the court of law jettisoned. That set the scene for restoration of June 12 mandate.
The National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, was formed.

We all witnessed what Abacha did in this country. Abiola wife was assassinated. Alred Rewane was killed. Abraham Adesanya escaped by the whiskers. Alex Ibru was so lucky, but lost had a scar in his eyes. Bombs were being detonated and linked to Soyinka. The nation was just not normal. Demonstration today, civil disobedience tomorrow. Killing squard roaming the streets. The likes of Bola Ige etc, who himself was later assassinated under OBJ second coming, was put in prison. To criticise was to signe your death warrant. Even Gani Fawehinmi was entering and leaving prison like something else.

Abacha tried all manners of tricks, until he, himself was consumed by the abracadabra of that era.

While the nation was celebrating the demise of the maximum ruler and the eventual release of MKO to form the Government of National Unity, GNU, in a high level international conspiracy, MKO was killed to "balance the equation"

I still remember that day in Lagos. It was not just a day. Several pants of raped women abound everywhere in Osodi, the following day. There was a total chaos. But then what would people do when the supposed president had been killed?

July 8, 1998. Abubakar delivered this speech announcing the death of MKO

Fellow Nigerians, it is with a very heavy heart that I address you for the second time since destiny bestowed upon me the mantle of leadership of our beloved nation.

Exactly one month ago, we were shocked by the sudden passing-away of our late head of state, General Sani Abacha. As we conclude the official 30 days mourning of this great loss, we are now challenged by another national tragedy. The passing-away yesterday of Chief Moshood Abiola was as sudden as it was tragic, particularly as he died on the brink of his release from detention. For me personally, and for the nation at large, this must be one of the saddest moments of our lives. I never envisaged that I will be faced with such momentous tragedies within the space of one month.

When I accepted the burden of leadership on the 8th June, I was conscious of the fact that these are critical and trying times in the history of our nation. I was clearly aware of the imperatives of national reconciliation and restoration of democracy to our troubled nation in an atmosphere of peace and stability. I was also determined to re-establish the professional image and the integrity of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to enable them to play their traditional role in the coming democratic order. I have resolved to address these challenges in an organised, deliberate, and orderly fashion, always putting the highest national interest before all else. Chief Abiola would have contributed his own quota to this process.

It was in recognition of this inescapable fact that, after a series of consultations between Chief Abiola and government on the one hand, and between him and representatives of the international community, as well as members of his family, that a meeting with the Provisional Ruling Council was convened for today to decide on his release.

Alas, God willed otherwise, and today, we mourn his loss. The government has already ordered a full autopsy to establish the actual cause of his death. The autopsy is being undertaken in cooperation with Abiola’s family and the participation of expert pathologists from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, as requested by his family. The government has noted the preliminary diagnosis of cardiac arrest as the cause of death, and the result of the autopsy will be made known.

In the meantime, I appeal to you all to remain calm despite your understandable grief. Our national grief cannot be assuaged by recourse to lawlessness, threat to lives, and the wanton destruction of innocent people’s property. I personally knew Chief Abiola. We must all determine to give him a dignified burial in an atmosphere of appropriate solemnity and peace as he would have wished. In the coming critical weeks and months, we shall mourn and miss him.

On behalf of myself, government and people of Nigeria, I extend heart-felt condolences to the Abiola family, his numerous friends and associates, and to the many young men and women for whom he held out hope. As true believers, we must bow before the will of the Almighty.

Fellow Nigerians, I will address you on the general character of this administration in due course. Meanwhile, I pray for the peaceful repose of the gentle soul of Chief Moshood Abiola.

Amen!

To return Nigeria to the path of progress and to avoid what was looking like Nigeria second civil war, the military had no other choice than to relinquish power not just to civilians but to a Yoruba.

Thae power that be were then scouting for the Yoruba of the like that would hold the country together and they found a willing tool in Obasanjo.
He was removed from prison, pardoned and ably rehabilitated to contest the election against Olu Falae.

As they say, the rest is now history.

Kobojunkie:

Significant in what sense? You wey you know your history, do tell us what significance the events of June 12th 1993 served this nation, that we ought to dedicate a day, of the 365 days we have each year, to it.

Now Kobojunkie, which day should be our democracy day June 12 or May 29?

To help you answer the above question, here is a hint:

As long as the present demo-cratic experience lasts, so long would the controversy over whether May 29 or June 12 is the appropriate day to be tagged Democracy Day. As the country marks another Democracy day, OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU writes on the unending controversy over the authentic Democracy Day. The history of Nigeria’s present democratic dispensation would be incomplete without tracing it to the June 12, 1993 presidential election un-der the military regime of military presi-dent, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. By military fiat, the Babangida admin-istration decreed into existence two polit-ical parties, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Con-vention (NRC) after so many false starts to the botched Third Republic. The June 12, 1993 presidential election, despite the various litigations against it and its conduct, was contested for by the late business mogul, Moshood Kashima-wo Abiola who flew the banner of the SDP and Alhaji Ibrahim Tofa, the NRC candi-date.

Despite that Abiola ran a Muslim/Muslim ticket with former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babagana Kingibe, early results of that historic election put him in the lead. But mid-way into the release of the election results, the military junta headed by Ba-bangida stopped further release of the re-sults and a few days later annulled what has come to be known the world over as the freest and fairest election in the an-nals of Nigeria.

Following an unprecedented outcry and protests against the annulment of the election by Nigerians from all walks of lives and civil society groups, Babangida hurriedly ‘stepped aside’ on August 27, 1993 and handed over power to a hurriedly concocted Interim National Government (ING), headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan.

Attempts by civil society groups, spear-headed by the National Democratic Coali-tion (NADECO) to revalidate the results of the June 12, 1993 election were rebuffed by the late General Sani Abacha, who became the Head of State after sacking the lame-duck Shonekan-led ING.

Abacha went ahead to arrest and detaine the acclaimed winner of that election, Abiola and un-leashed a reign of terror on the country, sending many leaders of NADECO to their graves while other members of the coalition were forced to go on exile.The death of Abacha on June 8, 1998, threw up General Abdulsalami Abuba-kar as Head of State.

Abubakar imme-diately began a transition programme, to the disappointment of many, who had thought that he would revalidate the Abi-ola mandate, which led to the emergence of democratic rule on May 29, 1999, when the winner of the presidential election, former military Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as pres-ident.

A year later in 2000, as part of the ac-tivities marking his first year in office, Obasanjo declared May 29 as Democracy Day and made it a public holiday in the country’s calendar of public holidays.But Obasanjo came under flaks, espe-cially from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) governors, who were in control of the South-West states between 1999 and 2003 and who were NADECO front run-ners.

They accused Obasanjo of deliber-ately failing to recognise the June 12, 1993 election, which they believed was the forerunner of democratic governance in the country as well as according its ac-claimed winner, Abiola, his rightful place in history.

As far as the governors, late Adebayo Adefarati of Ondo, Niyi Adebayo of Eki-ti, Bisi Akande of Osun, Lam Adesina of Oyo, Olusegun Osoba of Ogun and Bola Tinubu of Lagos states, were concerned, June 12 and not May 29 should have been the authentic Democracy Day.

Therefore, every year, while the Federal Govern-ment celebrated Democracy Day on May 29, the AD governors, in collaboration with civil society organisations, declared and celebrated June 12 as Democracy Day in their domains. The day had remained not only a day to celebrate democracy, but also a day set aside to accord recognition to Abiola.

Apart from Lagos State, which has since 1999 has remained steadfast in the celebration of June 12 as Democracy Day, the other states stopped the celebra-tion from 2003, when the states fell to the PDP in what has come to be known as ‘Hurricane Obasanjo’, which swept through the South-West.

The controversy over which of the two days should be tagged Democracy Day re-surfaced last year after another round of elections, which saw the return of the South-West states to the fold of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), an offshoot of the AD of old.As the governors, save a few, took office on May 29 last year, the question that re-verberated across the polity was: Is May 29 the real Democracy Day or is it June 12?

To the proponents of May 29, the Fed-eral Government, it was the day Obasanjo took office as civilian president and Com-mander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and so it is a day to commemorate the return to civilian rule after almost 16 years of military dictatorship.But to antagonists of May 29, June 12 is actually the day the Nigerian nation was liberated from the shackles of reli-gious and ethnic bigotry, as the election of Abiola cut across religious and ethnic consideration.

Towing the path of Akande in Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, the state gover-nor declared June 12 of every year as De-mocracy Day. Aregbesola added the real Democracy Day in Nigeria was not May 29 but June 12, saying that it was the day Nigerians, despite their political and re-ligious backgrounds and affinities, voted for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

He stressed that without June 12, May 29 would not have come into being, saying that those who chose May 29 had ulterior motives for doing so. Ekiti, Oyo and Ogun states also declared June 12 as public holi-day in commemoration of the June 12 an-niversary last year.

To Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, the declaration of May 29 as Democracy Day is a “political insult” on Nigerians. He expressed regret that what the Fed-eral Government is doing is promoting a day which reminds Nigerians of vari-ous denials and atrocities committed against them.

Soyinka said that the true Democracy Day was June 12, “despite all attempts, symbolic or hyperactive, to rewrite that history,” saying that on that day, Nigerians came out first and fore-most to vote the military out and not pri-marily to vote in Abiola.The National Association of Yoruba Descendants in North America, USA and Canada, opined that June 12 should be re-named Democracy Day.

The association’s National President, Ola Oduwole, said: “On that day, a nation defied all notions of its dishonest practices, by administer-ing the first free and fair election in its history”. He accused the military of ig-noring the choice of the people.

The chairman of the Elections Monitor-ing Group, Comrade Moshood Erubami said that no matter what anybody says, June 12 is Democracy Day, adding: “May 29 is not Democracy Day because it has no political significance but June 12 is the ap-propriate day.

First, it was a day that the military after many years of rule trans-ferred power to the civilian; a day that power was transferred from the North to the South to the extent that Abiola even won in his opponent’s ward; a day that Nigerians resolved to live together, a day that Christians supported and voted for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

”The Publicity Secretary of the ACN in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, said there should be no controversy about which day should be regarded as Democracy Day. He said: “June 12 is definitely the day that we can describe as Democracy Day in Nigeria. What is May 29?

What does May 29 stand for? What is so special about May 29? What great event is synonymous with May 29? Why did you put May 29 there at all? May 29 is a creation of the military; those men and women and their civilian collaborators who destroyed Nigeria dur-ing the years of the locusts. June 12 is the Democracy Day. It was on June 12, 1993 that Nigerians voted against mediocrity, nepotism, tribalism, corruption, military intervention in politics, and primordial sentiments.“In one voice, 14 million Nigerians took the decision to join the comity of demo-cratic nations on June 12, 1993.

It was a revolution, a watershed, a landmark deci-sion that changed the political equation in Nigeria forever and things have never been the same again.

”To the trio of Pa Ayo Adebanjo, and National Coordinator of Oodua People’s Congress, Otunba Gani Adams, re-nowned constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay, June 12 is Democracy Day. They called on the Federal Government to not only recognise June 12 as Democracy Day but also declare it national holiday.

But as long as the opposition contin-ues to govern the South-West, June 12 has come to stay as the Democracy Day, even as the PDP-led Federal Government continues to celebrate Democracy Day on May 29.To political pundits, May 29 will always be accorded special recognition as it was the day the president, governors and their deputies were sworn in. it will also serve as a day to give an account of their stewardship in the passing years

bayooooooo: That was the annulment speech delivered on June 26, 1993.

It was already announced that MKO had won in core North, clearing the strong hold of his opponent. For no just cause, the general ordered that the results, hitherto being announced should be put on hold. When Nwosu, seemed not willing to follow the order, he was taken to an unknown location and the nation was in a total information darkness.

In the speech, IBB concocted all manners of stupid excuses to annul an election he acknowledged to be free, fair and peaceful. He was a military ruler who could have postponed the elections if the conditions were not right. He chose to cancel an election where ethnicity, religion, tribalism and thuggery were not an issue. It was a day that Nigerians as fragmented as our nation was and still is, put sentiments aside and elected a candidate they deemed worthy of the throne. That Abiola won convincingly in the city of kano was a testimony that sentiments were of inconsequential effect on the outcome of the election.

The question on the lips of everybody was why, why and why?

I don't give a flying fk for the annulment speech. Why does he deserve or need a University after him? Why does Nigeria need yet another holiday to celebrate mediocrity and all that goes along with it? Those are the questions. Answers are what I seek.

bayooooooo:

Now Kobojunkie, which day should be our democracy day June 12 or May 29?

Why do we need a democracy day The Romans didn't have one . . why does Nigeria need one?

bayooooooo: To return Nigeria to the path of progress and to avoid what was looking like Nigeria second civil war, the military had no other choice than to relinquish power not just to civilians but to a Yoruba.

What path of progress are you rambling about? What in the world are you talking of? Second civil war? Wha . . . whaaattt ?

bayooooooo: In that speech, Abiola, in all essential points, declared himself Nigerian President. He was arrested and incarcerated. All efforts, persuasion, pleas, appeasement etc that Abiola should be tried in the court of law jettisoned. That set the scene for restoration of June 12 mandate.
The National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, was formed.

Again, I don't give a flying fk about what Abiola said or did not say. We all know that a man, yes, yet another man was robbed of his win in Nigeria on that day. What significance does that play in Nigeria today? Why does he need a school named after him? If, you truly believe that the June 12th riots almost turned into a second civil war situation, why should the Nation reward that?

Kobojunkie:

I don't give a flying fk for the annulment speech. Why does he deserve or need a University after him? Why does Nigeria need yet another holiday to celebrate mediocrity and all that goes along with it? Those are the questions. Answers are what I seek.

You don't just open your mouth and utter whatever you like.

Abiola historical speech led to a struggle that eventually forced military to relinquish power. If Abiola were to be alive, he would probably build a university in his own name. He had the money before the military destroyed everything. He was comfortable, he could have struck a deal with the military and be getting all the contracts. He chose to fight with his life and he was killed, his wife killed, his business destroyed and no personal gain could be traced to him. Theiving politicians are reaping from his struggle. Infact, his running mate, Kingible abandoned him and served in Abacha government.

Why did US declare a federal holiday in honour of Martin Luther king for his historical civil rights struggle?

I have told you to stop spreading ignorance. Read, read and read, it's good for you.

Naming university after MKO is a welcome development but he obviously deserves more than that. In my opinion, the real democracy day in Nigeria, is June 12, the day Nigerians demystified the military.

bayooooooo:

You don't just open your mouth and utter whatever you like.

Abiola historical speech led to a struggle that eventually forced military to relinquish power. If Abiola were to be alive, he would probably build a university in his own name. He had the money before the military destroyed everything. He was comfortable, he could have struck a deal with the military and be getting all the contracts. He chose to fight with his life and he was killed, his wife killed, his business destroyed and no personal gain could be traced to him. Theiving politicians are reaping from his struggle. Infact, his running mate, Kingible abandoned him and served in Abacha government.

Why did US declare a federal holiday in honour of Martin Luther king for his historical civil rights struggle?

I have told you to stop spreading ignorance. Read, read and read, it's good for you.

Naming university after MKO is a welcome development but he obviously deserves more than that. In my opinion, the real democracy day in Nigeria, is June 12, the day Nigerians demystified the military.

Again, when I say I don't give a flying fk about what Abiola sai, I mean I don't give a flying fk what Abiola said or did not say.

This issue here has absolutely nothing to do with what the man said, or what he pretended to have said.

If you have no idea what Martin Luther Kin did in America, then I suggest you do your research. Abiola was no Marthin Luther king so please, do not attempt to bring Martin Luther King down to Abiola's level.

Now back to the question I asked you. Why should Nigeria set June 12th aside as a Holiday? Why should a National School be named After Abiola? I mean the man wasted/stole enough money from Nigeria to have purchased for himself if he wanted one named after him. Why is the Nation a federal school to his name?

.

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Is this outrighht rejection by SNG and some Nigerians actually based on the disregard for the law by the FG or just the clear fact that the MKO dude was one of the biggest fraudstars and cuopists Nigeria has ever produced? Maybe both of these afforementioned factors...but methinks most people are more concerned about the later. Otherwise, why should they be so much opposition to the renaming of a 'prestigious' univerrty after the 'maker' of democrazy?

@Bayoooo
You are such a funny a dude.

Kobojunkie:

Again, when I say I don't give a flying fk about what Abiola sai, I mean I don't give a flying fk what Abiola said or did not say.

This issue here has absolutely nothing to do with what the man said, or what he pretended to have said.

If you have no idea what Martin Luther Kin did in America, then I suggest you do your research. Abiola was no Marthin Luther king so please, do not attempt to bring Martin Luther King down to Abiola's level.

Now back to the question I asked you. Why should Nigeria set June 12th aside as a Holiday? Why should a National School be named After Abiola? I mean the man wasted/stole enough money from Nigeria to have purchased for himself if he wanted one named after him. Why is the Nation a federal school to his name?

I thought your reading comprehension skills were superb otherwise, I would not have wasted my precious time bringing to your doorstep the lessons of history.

Did you just say not attempt? What's Martin Luther King achievement that can not be brought to Abiola's level? What's special about him that others have not done in other countries?

He fought for civil rights, against racism and what else, I ask you? Do you want to tell me racism no longer exist in America or rights are not being misused? Shut it. Gani Fawehinmi was also a human rights activist before he died and also fought against discrimination, that Martin was an American of sort would not make his achievement greater than Gani who was incarcerated more than 32 times.

If Abiola had not led the struggle, we would not have the present political order. And for sacrificing everything he had, whether he acquired them justifiably is another debate, to bring democracy that allow you and me to call GEJ all manners of names without disastrous consequences, he deserves recognition for it and there is no better way to recognize him than to recognize that day he indeed show Nigeria could become a nation.

That day June 12 should be a federal holiday.

Nuzo':
Is this outrighht rejection by SNG and some Nigerians actually based on the disregard for the law by the FG or just the clear fact that the MKO dude was one of the biggest fraudstars and cuopists Nigeria has ever produced? Maybe both of these afforementioned factors...but methinks most people are more concerned about the later. Otherwise, why should they be so much opposition to the renaming of a 'prestigious' univerrty after the 'maker' of democrazy?

@Bayoooo
You are such a funny a dude.

Don't mind me.

Nuzo':
Is this outrighht rejection by SNG and some Nigerians actually based on the disregard for the law by the FG or just the clear fact that the MKO dude was one of the biggest fraudstars and cuopists Nigeria has ever produced? Maybe both of these afforementioned factors...but methinks most people are more concerned about the later. Otherwise, why should they be so much opposition to the renaming of a 'prestigious' univerrty after the 'maker' of democrazy?

@Bayoooo
You are such a funny a dude.

Technically, GEJ did not follow the law. There was an ACT that established the University of Lagos. To effect a name change, that law would have to be amended. GEJ obviously did not follow that. That's the crux of SNG criticism, that GEJ is turning to a dictator otherwise nothing else to criticise.

bayooooooo:

Don't mind me.

[quote author=bayooooooo]

Sorry bro...you are ignorantly funny.