Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose and the Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) have praised President Muhammadu Buhari over the posthumous award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic(GCFR) conferred on the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola.
Fayose said it was commendable for Buhari to have conferred the title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFR) on him. He however, urged the President to go a step further by declaring Abiola winner of the poll and President-elect, adding that only then would the title so conferred have constitutional backing.
Fayose made the remarks in a press briefing with journalists at the government house in Ado Ekiti, state capital, he said: “The honour done to Late Moshood Olawale Abiola (MKO) by President Buhari is a welcome development. We thank the president, even though we know it is for political reasons, we see it as a step in the right direction.
“We urge President Buhari to go to the next level and declare MKO the President of Nigeria because MKO won the election, but the then dictator, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida denied Nigerians that victory and the opportunity to have Abiola as our President.
“Having realised that they goofed, they have come out to right the wrong. Besides, you can’t keep such title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFR) without being the President of Nigeria, therefore the president should be courageous enough by declaring the results of the election and declare Abiola the winner of the June 12 poll. This is a lesson that what you do today will be reference point for others tomorrow.
“We condemn the annulment of the June 12 Presidential poll results, brutality of Nigerians who protested against it, election rigging, brute force and manipulations during elections,” Fayose said.
