- Objects to use of ‘presumed winner’
Paul Obi in Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Thursday commended the federal government for officially recognising the June 12, 1993 presidential election and the presumed winner, Chief MKO Abiola as a very important political watershed in Nigeria.
Speaking on the honour, NLC Acting President, Solomon Adelegan, said: “The official declaration ofJune 12 as a national public holiday in commemoration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day deserves the applause of all Nigerians of goodwill. This gesture by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is commendable for its courage and thoughtfulness as it conveys significant democratic lessons
“First, this recognition is coming after the refusal of successive governments to accord the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, his due place in Nigeria’s history, despite years of agitation and struggle by pro-democracy activists.
“There is no doubt that the honour done to Chief MKO and other heroes of the June 12 struggle particularly Chief Gani Fawehinmi, though belated, speak volumes of the role of government in modelling good democratic practices and recognising heroism as a cornerstone of our political evolution.â€
Adelegan stated that “June 12 has grown beyond the person of Chief MKO Abiola. It has become synonymous with our capacity as a people to rise above ethnic and religious sentiments to recruit political leadership strictly on the basis of antecedence, performance and issue-based political considerations.â€
