Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), says that by declaring June 12 Democracy Day in place of May 29, President Muhammadu Buhari has “forever buried the ill-conceived notion that he is ambivalent to democracy”.

In a statement released on Thursday evening by Tunde Rahman, his spokesman, Tinubu also said Buhari had shown all Nigerians and the world that we have the moral fortitude to objectively face our history, learn from it and improve our society by virtue of this learning.

“The award of GCFR to Chief Abiola serves as an acknowledgement that he won the 1993 election and should have been allowed to serve as our president after winning that free and fair expression of the popular will,” he said.

“We also commend the award to MKO Abiola’s VP candidate, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe and that given to Chief Gani Fawehinmi. Chief Fawehinmi was a fearless advocate for democracy and the human rights of the common man. Whenever and wherever he spoke, it was the language of truth to power.

“Along with all democratic and fair-minded Nigerians, I welcome the news that June 12 will replace May 29 as Democracy Day. I too applaud President Buhari for making this courageous and rightful decision. This is good news for democracy and a proud moment for Nigeria. While impossible to go back in time and change the past, we must do our utmost to correct the wrongs of the past. This is what Buhari has done by this decision. He has shown all Nigerians and the world that we have the moral fortitude to objectively face our history, learn from it and improve our society by virtue of this learning.

“June 12, more than any other day, symbolizes the struggles and sacrifices made by countless Nigerians to establish democracy as our way of national governance. Chief MKO Abiola and others gave their lives that we might have democracy, that the will of the people would be sovereign and not suppressed by the will of the few. This proclamation by the president will forever memorialize the sacrifices made by these patriots who gave up themselves in service of such a noble and rightful purpose.”

He urged Nigerians to consecrate June 12, enjoy the holiday, and rededicate themselves to the ideals of democracy.

“We must consecrate this new holiday and ourselves so that we make it a living holiday. More so than ever before, the spirit of June 12 must live within us. It must guide our politics and how we govern ourselves. We must continuously dedicate ourselves to the freedoms and rights as well as the duties that democracy bestows on us all, political friend and foe alike. Let it be said that this presidential proclamation should forever bury ill-conceived notion that President Buhari is ambivalent to democracy. He has shown that he not only respects democracy but duly honor it,” he said.

“Democracy may be rough and untidy at times but it remains the form of government best suited for a society as diverse and multifaceted as ours. Today, the sun shines a bit more brightly. The sound of democracy peals more resolutely across the land. The sacrifices of Chief Abiola and others have been affirmed by the federal government he once should have led. Democracy has been given its proper seat and day. History has been corrected to the extent humanly possible. Nigeria continues to define its better self.”

Sophisticated slowpoke-in-chief.

A sophisticated mo.ron worshipping his lord and master.

hmmm... bubu reading the nation news paper.

This is in the south west. Let's hear what the other regions will say about this. I am currently in north west , the region of Buhari. It seems they are not happy with the development.
They would rather prefer him given the award to ABACHA (despite the fact that Abiola was a Muslim). To them, no one can rule this country better than a man from this region

Take it or leave it, Buhari has done what self acclaimed "democrats" have failed to do over 25 long years!

Be it for political reasons or otherwise, buttom line is he's pacified the ghost of that unfortunate incident of '93 to a large extent, an act for which the immediate family and constituency of the recipient have expressed their gratitude.

Should Buhari fix the security challenges we face, especially within Middle Belt states, 2019 would be a walk in the park for him.

Long live Nigeria and God bless all those who bless her.

Nigeria, sometimes I align with the IGBOS on how they handle some issues, I swear even if Buhari should declare holiday in memory of OJUKWU, the IGBOS can never applaud Buhari the way yorubas are applouding Him for declaring holiday in memory of MKO, am not against the declaration, but we should know when things are done for real and when it's a mere political move, Northerners bliv they're de political master planners and they can manipulate any zone with their crookedness, Buhari has turned a Saint overnight bcuz he declared a holiday for a DEAD man while there's no sight to the ending of the suffering for the LIVING...2019 is here and I've always said it, people will be surprised with the outcome, Buhari is not our problem, we are our problems, we easily get manipulated by politicians

Bola Ahmed Tinubu....................says that by declaring June 12 Democracy Day in place of May 29, President Muhammadu Buhari has “forever buried the ill-conceived notion that he is ambivalent to democracy”.

Tinubu failed to detect the political war Buhari have triggered from the top starting with even his military colleagues(IBB,OBJ,Danjuma),sweeping down now to the likes of Saraki,Dogara etc.

Buhari have never mentioned June-12 before or after he become president until now when he knows his dwindling political fortune in the SW.

Even Tinubu keep on having his yearly birthday colloquium without mentioning the June-12 struggle or Abiola the hero therein.Then he suddenly start hallucinating around a Buhari that even his wife acknowledged have confined him to the dustbin because of his turn coat attitude.

May it never be too late for him.A leopard never changes its skin.

Maket:
This is in the south west. Let's hear what the other regions will say about this. I am currently in north west , the region of Buhari. It seems they are not happy with the development.
They would rather prefer him given the award to ABACHA (despite Abiola is a Muslim). For them no one can rule this country better than a man from this region

Hehehe! I dey laugh here.

The same mass murdering Buhari that said that 1000 Shiites could die for tapping a General's chest

The same Buhari who does not obey court orders

Tinubu don high again

Bh

TINUBU ODE! this award only shows the rising profile of babagana KINGIBE- an influential member of the cabal. The only living being who stands to gain from this awards! And the next president after buhari- if the plan of the CABAL goes well!

THE MOVE OF A DESPERATE PRESIDENT
By
Umar Ardo, Ph.D

The desperation of President Buhari to retain power at all costs has again manifested itself in his illegal act of both changing the National Democracy Day and the investiture of National Honours of GCFR posthumously to late MKO Abiola and GCON to Amb. Babagana Kingibe. Having realized that he has lost public support across the country as a result of his dismal performance in office, and poor handling of issues affecting his Political Party, the NASS, the Judiciary and key stakeholders of the country, particularly the Senate President, the Speaker, Presidents Obasanjo and Babangida, the president ill-advisedly came up with the so-called idea of making June 12 as Nigeria's �� Democracy Day and giving National Honours to Abiola and Kingibe.

There're two issues wrong with this move - i.e. legal and moral. Legally, the president has no powers to confer National Honours on anyone without the deliberation and advice of the National Council of States. The Third Schedule of the Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) at Section 6(a)iii confers on the NCS the powers to advise the president on the award of national honours. The fact is that the NCS didn't meet to deliberate and advise on this so-called investiture.

Secondly, the National Public Holidays Act has listed 29 May as a National Holiday being the country's Democracy Day. This means that the president can only change the Democracy Day if the Act is duly amended. And to the best of my knowledge this Act has not been amended. Therefore the president's pronouncement is unlawful and of no moment. The only thing is that his action has but further affirmed the president as a no-respecter of due process of law and constitutionalism.

On the moral side, the president cannot honour Babagana Kingibe on the basis of June 12 because Kingibe had abandoned Chief Abiola and the June 12 mandate when he joined his kinsman, General Abacha, and took a ministerial appointment in that regime. It's morally repugnant to now honour him for such an unsalutary act.

Besides, June 12 had never featured in Buhari's politics. He worked with Abacha who incarcerated Abiola and denied the actualization of the mandate and he never raised the issue of June 12. In his electioneering campaigns in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015, June 12 was never in Buhari's political lexicon. For 3yrs as president he never uttered the phrase June 12. Even last week when he addressed the nation on May 29, June 12 was not mentioned. So how come all of a sudden, like a bolt out of the blue, June 12 became the new political darling of the president? There're three answers to it that I can harzard:-
1. President Buhari has realized that he has lost the support of the Nigerian people, particularly in the Southwest, and so he was tricked into making this palliative in the vein hope of reganering support to his fledging presidency;
2. That he is now at opened war with IBB who annulled the June 12 election and OBJ who is the main beneficiary of the resolution of the June 12 imbroglio, he is made to believe that with this move he would regain his support in the Southwest at the same time rubbish the two former presidents; and
3. Unknown to him, he's playing the political script of Babagana Kingibe and his kinsman, the COS to the president. To all intents and purposes, the two are scheming a succession move to Buhari himself where, in the event of Buhari's leaving office, Kingibe would've been well positioned to succeed him as president. Clearly, in the Northeast, no politician has Kingibe's profile. He was a Permanent Secretary, Ambassador, National Chairman of the SDP, Abiola's Running mate, Minister of Internal and External Affairs and Secretary to the Federal Government. Already, through their scheming, Kingibe has taken over the DNI, SSS and the villa. All they need is to resuscitate the spirit of June 12 to which Kingibe would be the major beneficiary. With the GCON conferred on him, the benefits have started dropping. This is a highly sophisticated political scheming that President Buhari wouldn't perceive.

Nevertheless, the president is so engrossed with the trapping of power and its retention that he could fall for anything. And how big has he fallen! What a great pity for Nigeria ��!! What a great pity!!!

Maket:
This is in the south west. Let's hear what the other regions will say about this. I am currently in north west , the region of Buhari. It seems they are not happy with the development.
They would rather prefer him given the award to ABACHA (despite the fact that Abiola was a Muslim). To them, no one can rule this country better than a man from this region

You're lying we are not angry with this honor. It's on record the North vote Abiola even when their son Tofa is also contesting. For the avoidance of doubt Abiola defeated Tofa in his hometown which is Kano.

Speak for yourself mister.


BTW, how is that reconciliation assignment going?