The African Democratic Congress has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of playing politics with his recent declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day.
The said that President Buhari’s gestures towards the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola and other actors were aimed at cornering the votes of Nigerians ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The ADC National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, who stated this in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Abeokuta, Ogun State, however, urged Nigerians not to vote for Buhari despite his declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day and the conferment of the award of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic on the late Abiola and other actors in the annulled poll.
He said that Nigerians should be aware that the conferment of the national awards and the declaration of June 12 as the democracy day were part of the ploy by Buhari to win over their hearts, especially the people of the Southwest with a view to capitalising on these gestures since his administration had failed to meet the yearnings and aspirations of almost all citizens.
Nwosu said that Buhari was part and parcel of the military government of General Sanni Abacha that jailed Abiola, adding that the President never showed concern for the winner of the June 12, 1993 polls throughout his ordeal in the hands of a government he served in.
He further accused the President of not voting for Abiola during the 1993 presidential election, adding that Buhari never voted for the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo when he contested for Nigeria’s highest office during his lifetime.
The ADC national chairman said, “I am happy that the June 12 we worked for has come to fruition, but people should not play politics and want to take advantage of something they did not work for. June 12 was actualised by the people across Nigeria; that is the new spirit that we want. We don’t want the kind of nepotistic APC and Buhari.
“When he (Abiola) was having his challenges, President Buhari deserted him and worked with people who were perpetrating those atrocities and now he is turning around to try to take advantage of the people and I know that the Yoruba people are so sophisticated.
“It is election time; instead of presenting their report card, they are looking for different ways to avoid presenting their report card. The truth is that, if he loves the Yoruba, Awolowo had campaigned to become the president of this country, Buhari never vote for him; even Abiola contested and the whole of Nigeria voted for him, President Buhari didn’t vote for him, too.”
He further said that the absence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, from the event was an indication that Buhari was using the posthumous award and declaration of June 12 to play politics with the lives of Nigerians so as to remain in power after the 2019 elections.
The ADC National chairman maintained that Obasanjo and IBB stayed away from the event due to the selfish motive of the President to use it to play politics with the conscience of Nigerians because of the 2019 election.
“I am not aware they were invited. When you are playing too much politics with people lives and conscience, some good people will want to stay away. But if you are doing something quality that will benefit the people, a lot of quality people will be present. We made Abiola and June 12 to happen. I played a major role. People who didn’t play any role and who are failing now, want to use Abiola to retain power. Nigerians are smarter than that,” he said.
