Across the Southwest region, pro-democracy activists assembled to mark the 23rd anniversary of the election, acclaimed by local and international observers as the freest and fairness in the country.
The election was aborted by the President Ibrahim Babangida led-military administration when the results were being announced.
In Oyo and Osun States, governors Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola decraled today public holiday and urged the Federal Government to do the needful.
Their counterpart in Lagos, Akinwumi Ambode said the entrenehment of an enduring democracy and good governance renamed the best way to immortalise Abiola, who paid the Supreme sacrifice in the struggle for democratic rule.
MEMBERS of the family of the winner of the botched June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, yesterday called on the Federal Government to declare him a “slain president” and pay his presidential entitlements to them, even as they rued the golden opportunity denied him to govern Nigeria.
They said the harrowing experience buffeting Nigerians today due to economic downturn, would have not arisen had MKO Abiola been allowed to lead the country and placed it on the path of wealth and greatness.
The head of the Abiola family, Chief Muritala Abiola, a younger brother of the late business magnate, made the disclosure in a chat with reporters in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, shortly after receiving the train of the Democracy Day rally.
The rally was organised by the Ogun State Government at the Oja – Agbo, the ancestral home of the Abiolas in the ancient town in commemoration of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, presumed to have been won by late M.K.O Abiola.
The Democracy Walk, was led by Deputy Governor Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga in the company of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Taiwo Adeoluwa, Ogun State House of Assembly Speaker Suraju Ishola and the Head of Service (HoS), Elder Sola Adeyemi, among others.
Muritala said the “poverty” in the land which is biting Abiola’s family members harder, has also not spared the rest of Nigerians.
According to him, had his brother and bread winner of the family, been allowed to use the mandate freely given by Nigerians to lead, he would surely have turned the country into another Kuwait in this part of the world.
He said: “We feel the impact of his death because he is the breadwinner of the family. Every one of us, up to the aged, and since he died everything is going down. It was affecting the family before but now also the whole Nigerians.
“The poverty now is much; about 90 percent of Nigerians, which I feel if MKO had become president, Nigeria would have just been like Kuwait. Kuwait is small, but it is one of the richest countries. Today, things have not been easy not for the Abiola family alone but the whole country.”
The family head lamented that despite the huge sacrificed made, including the supreme sacrifice paid by Abiola, successive governments have not deemed it fit to bestow on the late politician, the honour he deserved.
He urged the Federal Government to accord the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential poll, the right honour and also declare him the “slained President of Nigeria.”
Muritala said: “For example, Ken Saro Wiwa died on this Ogoni oil spillage; they are cleaning the oil splillage now. MKO was killed because of the election he won. Maybe you journalists, or the government should stop calling him acclaimed winner.
“He’s not an acclaimed winner; they should confirm him as slain President of Nigeria. After all, somebody ruled for about six months, they said Interim National Government (ING), he is still enjoying presidential privileges. So, MKO should be declared President although slain, so, all the entitlements should go to the family.
“I don’t want to raise eyebrow because as of today, I am aggrieved and that is my own opinion. People are telling us rule of law, June 12, but Ogun state House of Assembly enacted a law, declaring June 12 every year a Public holiday.
“Just before yesterday when we went to Oke-Mosan, we heard that before, if it falls on Sunday there is no public holiday, it means the Ogun state government broke the law because if it October 1st falls on Sunday, there will be a Public holiday on Monday, it is just the same thing but I believe we don’t have leaders, we have opportunists.”
In his goodwill message, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who was represented by his deputy, Princess Onanuga, pledged to continue to sustain the spirit of the June 12, 1993 presidential election as a way of paying tribute to the illustrious son of the state, late M.K.O Abiola.
Also speaking, one of the sons of the late politician, Lekan Abiola, rued that what the Abiola family, particularly the children lost to Abiola’s death and his wife, Kudirat, could neither be quantified nor regained till eternity.
According to Lekan, while Abiola’s business empire suffered grave setbacks during Sani Abacha’s regime, the present crop of elected office holders in the country and direct beneficiaries of their parents’ death are not doing anything to immortalise him.
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