Full text of the Epetedo, Lagos
proclamation delivered by the late M.K.O.
Abiola on Saturday, June 11, 1994.
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
fellowmen.
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 “setup” 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 then 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 demoralised 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 breadth 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 quietly, 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 forever.
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,
our time 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
of Nigeria. Long live the Government of
National Unity.


Source:linkis.com/www.vanguardngr.com/OrrLE

After all the long speech, he paused for a cup of tea and the rest is history.

Ogaaa ooooo! Well Hope is back alive for Nigeria and Nigerians. May his soul rest in peace

So sad