June 12: Buhari is a new progressive —NANS

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a new progressive for declaring June 12 as the country’s Democracy Day.

Buhari, had, on Wednesday, announced proclaimed that June 12 will henceforth be known as Nigeria’s Democracy Day instead of May 29.

The president said the decision was in honour of the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.

He also conferred Abiola with a posthumous award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), and Grand Commander of the Order of Niger on Abiola’s Vice Presidential candidate, Babagana Kingibe and the late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi.

Reacting to the development, Mr Idowu Odebunmi, the Public Relations Officer of the students’ body, NANS, made the commendation in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Akure.

“President Buhari has proven to be a progressive and champion of people’s course which June 12 stands for.

“The properties and lives lost in the struggle of June 12 and the main centre of the people that liberated us from the shackles of the Military regime have been compensated today by President Muhammadu Buhari.

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“This shows the advancement of Nigeria’s democracy and it shows we have a president that appreciates free and fair election,” he said.

According to him, this will expose the history of a heroic struggle for the democracy that Nigeria is enjoying today.

The NANS spokesman decried inability of past leaders calling themselves progressives but could not bring to bear people’s oriented leadership deserved by Nigerians.

“If you know what it takes to win a presidential election and someone wickedly annulled it, you will appreciate President Buhari for the new Democracy Day declaration and you will congratulate late MKO on the posthumous award as GCFR,” he said.

NAN