Kudirat Abiola’s 28th Anniversary: Groups urge govts to prioritise development

As Nigerians all over the country mark the 28th anniversary of the assassination of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 election, Chief MKO Abiola, civil society groups, under the umbrella bodies of Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) and Women Arise (WA), have called on governments both at the federal, state, and local government levels to prioritise consensus building and development over political rivalries, saying that democracy must be made to deliver tangible results.

It would be recalled that Alhaja Abiola was assassinated on June 4, 1996, by some gunmen in Lagos who allegedly acted on the orders of the late General Sani Abacha’s military junta.

The call was made on Monday in a statement titled “Kudirat Abiola: 28 years after,” and jointly signed by the President of KIND, Dr Hafsat Abiola, and her counterpart for WA, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, as they paid tributes to the late Kudirat, describing her as a champion of democracy and human rights in Nigeria, just as they noted that her sacrifice and that of others who fought for democracy reminded Nigerians that such was not easily won.

The civil society groups, while noting this, sadly pointed out that the challenges that drove many to join the pro-democracy movement unfortunately persisted today, recalling that across West Africa, democracy faces challenges.

According to them, military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and the Niger Republic highlight the fragility of democratic governments, but they quickly noted that “the real challenge lies not in military interventions but in the failure of democratic processes to deliver a better life for the majority.”

“On the 28th anniversary of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola’s assassination, we honour her legacy as a champion of democracy and human rights in Nigeria.

“Her sacrifice and that of others who fought for democracy remind us that it was not easily won. Unfortunately, the challenges that drove many to join the pro-democracy movement persist today.

“Across West Africa, democracy faces challenges. Military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger highlight the fragility of democratic governments.

“The real challenge lies not in military interventions but in the failure of democratic processes to deliver a better life for the majority.

From Kenya to Senegal, citizens question whose interests their governments serve. In South Africa and Tunisia, frustration with governance manifests as anti-African migrant sentiment,” KIND and WA stated.

“Democracy must deliver tangible results, not just rhetoric. Governments must prioritise consensus building and development over political rivalries,” the groups said.

They, however, called on Nigerians to work together to build a democratic nation that truly delivers for its people, saying that the best way to secure democracy is to ensure it serves all citizens.

“As we remember Kudirat Abiola, let us recall her fight for a democratic Nigeria. The best way to secure democracy is to ensure it serves all Nigerians.

“Let us work together to build a democratic Nigeria that truly delivers for its people,” the women groups counselled.

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