Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has said that immortalising the late business mogul, Chief Moshood Abiola, is not enough, stressing that the last 21 years of civil rule in Nigeria have been full of sorrow and tears.
Falana, who called into a live programme on Jamz F. M. in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, urged true patriots in the country to intensify the struggle for genuine democracy.
He said: “One of the policies carried out by the Buhari adminitration is the recognition of June as a public holiday and replacement of Democracy Day which was originally May 29.
“Those who set May 29 as a Democracy Day did so out of spite. I’m talking about Olusegun Obasanjo adminitration, that for eight years refused to recognize the supreme sacrifice paid by Bashorun MKO Abiola in the restoration of democracy in Nigeria. It was very good on the part of this administration to have recognized that day.
“But it is not enough to immortalize MKO. It is not enough to recognize June 12 as a democracy day. The last 21 years have been civil rule of disenchantment and frustration on the part of the majority of Nigerians.
“Only a few people, infinitesimal of politicians, can be said to have benefited from civil rule. Only a few politicians are smiling to the bank at the expense of our people. The point I’m making is that, the last 21 years have been years of sorrow and tears for our people. That is why the struggle to have genuine democracy must be intensified by genuine patriots in this country”.
This came as the Eze Ndigbo of Oyo State, Dr Alex Anozie declared that the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election was the worst thing that has ever happened in the history of Nigeria.
Anozie made this declaration during the Democracy Day organized by the Oyo State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
According to him, the annulment of June 12 is one of the worst things that has ever happened to Nigeria because it was an injustice in its totalty.
Anozie noted that religion and ethnicity should not be a problem in Nigeria, adding that if the 1993 election had been allowed to stay, it would have been the the vehicle to turn Nigeria around.
He said: “Injustice is forcing us to do what we are doing now in Nigeria, religion and ethnicity has also been dividing us, we need to come together and move this country to a greater height.”
In his welcome address, the Oyo NUJ chairman, Com. Ademola Babalola, pointed out that Abiola was a man of many parts who contributed immensely to Nigerian press, adding that the late politician was a detribalized Nigerian.
“In 1993, Nigerians put aside tribalism and sentiment and voted for the candidate of their choice as president but the election was later set aside. He was a philanthropist who touched many lives,” he said.