In a renewed call for historical justice,a socio-cultural organization based in MKO Abiola’s hometown of Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Tobádé Progressive Club of Gbagura has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to officially recognise late Chief Abiola as the democratically-elected President of Nigeria.
This plea comes as Nigeria reflects on its complex political history on Democracy Day, a commemoration marked by both celebration and sorrow due to the events surrounding the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election.
The club recalled that the 1993 election, widely regarded as the fairest and most credible in Nigeria’s history, was annulled by then-Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, leading to significant political turmoil.
It further stated that the subsequent establishment of an Interim National Government by Babangida and the eventual takeover by General Sani Abacha halted the transition to civilian rule, plunging the country into further instability.
The club in the state jointly signed by the President,Chief Shamwill A. Keshinro and Co-Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee,Prince Razaq Ayinla lamented that Chief MKO Abiola, who had declared himself the rightful president, was arrested by Abacha’s regime and died in detention under the subsequent regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
The club added that that Abiola ‘s detention and subsequent death, along with the assassination of his wife Kudirat Abiola and numerous political associates, symbolised the severe repression faced by pro-democracy advocates during that era.
It said despite these tragic events, Abiola’s legacy played a crucial role in the eventual return to democratic rule in 1999.
Accoridng to it, successive administrations, particularly the former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, have made efforts to honour Abiola’s contributions. Buhari notably conferred upon him posthumously the nation’s highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR).
In the statement, the Progressive Club is now urging the Tinubu administration to take further steps.
The club emphasised the importance of acknowledging Abiola’s rightful place in Nigerian history by posthumously swearing him in as the democratically-elected president.
“We are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, being ‘the Direct Beneficiary’ of the Democratic Struggle that claimed the lives of Chief MKO Abiola and hundreds of others, to revisit the 1993 Presidential Election that was tagged the most democratic, freest, and fairest Presidential Election so far held in the history of Nigeria,” the club stated.
The club says it’s appeal is rooted in the belief that such an acknowledgment would help heal the historical wounds and reinforce the democratic values for which Abiola and many others sacrificed their lives.
The club advocates invoking the Doctrine of Necessity to initiate the political and legal processes required to posthumously recognize Abiola’s presidency.
In addition to this call for historical justice, the Tobádé Progressive Club commended the efforts of Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, for his directive to renovate Abiola’s family house in Abeokuta.
“This move is seen as a significant gesture in preserving the legacy of Abiola and honoring his contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey.”
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