Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, on Thursday, described annulled June 12, 1993 election as the most defining moment in the country’s history, declaring that the struggle to free Nigerians from shackles of bondage would continue until the country is restructured into federating units.
Aare Ona Kakanfo made this declaration in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kehinde Aderemi, even as he expressed joy that part of the dreams of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) under his leadership had been realised with the celebration of June 12 as the authentic Democracy Day in the country.
This was just as he said that OPC, which remained the only formidable group that had been celebrating the June 12 Anniversary since 2001, could not hold its annual symposium this year due to the coronavirus global pandemic.
He, however, expressed joy that the group, to the glory of God, had been a vocal voice requesting for the authentication of the political event as the official Democracy Day, adding: “So, whether our effort is being recognized today or not, it is on record that we are part of the success stories of this democracy.”
Adam lamented that democracy is yet to take its root in Nigeria despite the sacrifices of the activists and pro-democracy groups, but expressed the hope that Nigeria can only get it right with true federalism, adding that the only way out of the political logjam was to let the federating states develop at their own pace.
“It is good that our democracy is evolving, but sadly, it is not yet Uhuru because this is not the kind of democracy we fought for during the June 12 struggle. It is far different from what we are seeing now,” he lamented.
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Adam, who recalled that the struggle for the actualisation of the June 12 mandate given freely to the late MKO Abiola in a free and fair election then was a long, hard battle to survive the military onslaughts, further noted that those of them that participated in it and were alive today still remembered those moments with a lot of regrets and surprises.
According to him, democracy in Nigeria as of today can best be described as one step forward and five steps backwards, adding: “Today, our democracy is at best, one step forward and five steps backwards, but in all, we thank God that we are still alive to tell the story.”
“We got it wrong right from the outset. We got it wrong with leadership. Nigeria has been crippled by bad leadership.
“This has always been our problem. All our leaders have lost touch with the people at the grassroots, that is why we must continue to press for justice until we get the best for Nigeria and Nigerians,” he further lamented.
Iba Adams, however, declared that the lesson of June 12 election was, indeed for a lifetime for everybody, expressing the belief that truth will one day prevails no matter how long the long arm of lies persist while noting that it took 27 years after the brutal annulment of the freest and fairest election for the Federal Government to honour and recognise the late Abiola, the winner of the election and several Nigerians that paid the supreme price.
“It takes 27 years after the brutal annulment of the freest and fairest election for the Federal Government to honour and recognise the late MKO Abiola and several Nigerians that paid the supreme price,” he said.
Speaking on the need for the country to be restructured, the generalissimo, argued that there would be mutual benefits and progress when the federating units were allowed to develop at their own pace, as they would strive towards achieving the best for the people at the grassroots.
He said this would be made possible through healthy competitions among the federating units, expressing the belief that the nagging issue of security and state police would be taken care of without fair or favour as it was in other climes where democracy thrives.
“When the federating units are allowed to develop at their own pace, there will be mutual benefits and progress. The federating states will be geared towards achieving the best for the people at the grassroots. This is possible when there are healthy competitions among the federating units. The issue of security and state police would be taken care of without fair or favour. That is how it is in other climes where democracy thrives,” Iba Adams said.
“It is good that our democracy is evolving, but sadly, it is not yet Uhuru because this is not the kind of democracy we fought for during the June 12 struggle. It is far different from what we are seeing now,” he lamented.