The Declaration of the June 12 every year as the real Democracy day has in no small way vindicated the Progressives in the country, especially, those in the South West, who have been clamouring for it since the advent of the present political dispensation in 1999.
This was the view of Dr. Ezekiel Oyebola Oyemomi, one of the Governorship aspirants under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Tuesday at a parley held with party faithful during his tour of some of the Local governments in the State, in preparation for his nomination as the flag bearer of the APC in the coming governorship election.
Dr. Oyemomi said, since the advent of this ongoing political dispensation, some of the politicians who are progressives have been calling on the Federal government to declare June 12 as the real democracy day for the country because it was the struggle for the actualization of the June 12 election, acclaimed to have been won by the late Business mogul, Basrun Moshood Kasimawo Abiola that paved the way for the stable democracy which the country is now enjoying.
He said that with the declaration which the whole country was celebrating, President Muhammadu Buhari has done Nigeria proud and the country would forever remember him for taking this bold step which those before him were shy to take.
He argued that the entire country expected former President Olusegun Obasanjo to declare June 12 as the Democracy day for Nigeria but instead, he chose, the May 29, the day he was inaugurated as the civilian President. This he added was expected of former President Goodluck Jonathan, but he too stuck to Obasanjo’s date which has now been changed by President Buhari of the APC, and indication, that the APC being a progressives party was alive to the yearnings of the people.
He pointed out that what Buhari did by honouring Chief MKO Abiola and Chief Gani Fawehinmi with the highest hour in Nigeria was laudable and should be commended. He cast aspersions on those who have been making unpleasant remarks about the awards to the late great men of ‘’our time’’ saying the award and declaration came at the time when Nigeria and Nigerians are enjoying the labour of the two men who laid down their lives for humanity, justice and progress of the country..
According to him if not for the Abiola’s June 12 Presidential election which was annulled, Nigeria would still be in the dark and probably ‘’we could still be under the clutches of dictatorship because it was the annulment that brought the agitations which liberated the entire country from the clutches of the Military rulers and some view cabals who felt that the whole Nigeria was their entity and property for life. These definitely change the notion and the entire scenario in Nigeria today and that is why we should be proud to honour Abiola who died in detention for a just cause.
Oyemomi said that although the celebration of June 12 was not new to the people in the South West who has been celebrating it since 1999, what President Buhari has just done would now give the entire country the required sense of belonging and it would make Nigerians feel at home with democracy.
Oyemomi who was a permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Defence, land and Housing, Women Affairs and the Head of Service and one of the leading aspirants in the Osun APC governorship race called on politicians in Nigeria not to do anything that would put the current political dispensation into disrepute, saying that they should be honest and show transparency in everything that they do so that they would be respected and the people would know that they are actually out to serve
The present day politicians he said should lead by example and not arrogate so much importance to themselves, that would make them feel that they are above the law. What the country needs now, he said, should be leadership by example not arrogance, and
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