June 12: What Soyinka, Tinubu, Falana, Others Told Buhari

Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to stop admiring and displaying loyalty to an unnamed individual whom he referred to late MKO Abiola’s “Tormentor-in-Chief.”

Some are of the opinion that he had referred to the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, who clamped the business mogul to jail for about five years.

Abiola died in prison.

Although Soyinka did not mention Abacha’s name specifically, the Nobel laureate said it was confusing for Buhari to honour Chief Moshood Abiola on the one hand, and be admiring the late politician’s “Tormentor-in-Chief” on the other.

He wondered why President Buhari will continue to display loyalty to a man he described as “one of the worst dictators in the history of the country” and who should be having his days in court for crime against humanity.

Soyinka said that in a private meeting with Buhari, he had also raised concerns over how the President could be saying his administration was fighting corruption, whereas a major road in the Federal Capital Territory is named after a “corrupt former leader.”

He said he was not satisfied with the response he got from Buhari.

Read Also: Opinion: The Meaning of June 12 By Simon Kolawole

He called on the President to consider establishing a Hall of Shame for those who have wronged the country, just as he puts up Hall of Fame for the nation’s heroes.

I’ll work for your second term, Tinubu promises Buhari

A national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said President Muhammadu Buhari deserved a second term and that he would work for his victory in the 2019 presidential election.

While highlighting some of Buhari’s achievements, Tinubu claimed that Nigerians are no longer paying for darkness, giving an indication that electricity supply has become stable under the present administration.

He also lauded Buhari for the school feeding programme, a component of the government’s Social Investment Programme.

Buhari apologises to MKO Abiola’s family on behalf of Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja offered unreserved apology on behalf of the Federal Government to the family of MKO Abiola, over the annulment of June 12, 1993 election, presumably won by late Abiola.

The President apologised at the Special National Honours Investiture and award presentation to heroes of June 12, 1993 poll, which was annulled by the defunct Ibrahim Babangida regime.

He said the decision to hold the event was not to open old wounds but to bury negative sides of June 12 and its ill-feelings, hatred, frustrations and agony.

He, therefore, called on all Nigerians across national divides to accept the annulment of the June 12, 1993 poll in good faith.

“I honestly invite all Nigerians across all our national divides to accept it in good faith. Our action today is to bury the negative sides of June 12, the side of ill feelings, hates, frustration and agony.

“What we are doing is celebrating and appreciating the positive sides of June 12.

“The June 12, which reinstated democracy and freedom, the June 12 that overcame our various divides and the June that produced unity and national cohesion.

“This is the June 12 we are celebrating today and we will nurture it to our next generation

“Accordingly, on behalf of the Federal Government, I tender the nation’s apology to the family of late MKO Abiola who got the highest votes and to those that lost their loved ones in the course of June 12 struggle,’’ he said.

President Buhari asked for a minute silence in honour of late MKO Abiola and those that lost their lives in the struggle for the actualisation of June 12

You’ve declared 1993 election result, Falana tells Buhari

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, on Tuesday said President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the result of the annulled June 12. 1993 presidential election with the honour bestowed on the presumed winner, Chief Moshood Abiola.

He, therefore, called on the President to direct security chiefs to restore the rights of all Nigerians.

Meanwhile, Kola, the eldest son of late Chief Moshood Abiola, received the national honour of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic on behalf of his late father.

President Muhammadu Buhari presented the insignia to him after the citation of the late politician was read at the venue of the well-attended event holding inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Buhari is Nigeria’s first sensitive, reasonable leader –Muhammed Fawehinmi

Mohammed, son of the late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as the “first sensitive and reasonable Head of State (sic) in the country.”

He commended Buhari for listening to the yearnings of Nigerians on the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election and acting accordingly.

He described June 12 as the “foundation of the nation’s democracy.”

Buhari approves national honours for more Nigerians

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on Tuesday disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved of some other Nigerians to be conferred with national honours for their contributions to democracy.

Mustapha spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja venue of the post-humous investiture of Chief Moshood Abiola as Grand Commander of the Federal Republic; his running mate, Babagana Kingibe as Grand Commander of the Order of Niger and late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi, also as GCON.

He, however, did not disclose the identities of the fresh awardees.

“Further announcement on this will be made shortly,” Mustapha said in his welcome address at the ceremony attended by dignitaries across the country.

Obasanjo, Saraki, Dogara absent at Abiola’s investiture 

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was among the personalities conspicuously absent at the Tuesday posthumous investiture of Chief Moshood Abiola as Grand Commander of the Federal Republic.

Obasanjo however sent an apology to the event holding inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said he was currently engaged outside the country.

Gen. Ibrahim Babangida who annulled the June 12, 1993, presidential election was also conspicuously absent.

He also sent an apology, attributing his inability to attend to health issues.

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, was also absent.