FOLASHADE KEHINDE
FORMER Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for immortalising the late philanthropist and winner of the 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.
He said despite the belief that MKO funded the coup that removed Buhari from power, 35 years later, the same Buhari, back in power, had immortalised him by declaring June 12 Democracy Day in Nigeria.
The Minister noted, in a series of tweets, that it was the same people MKO put in power that annulled his election as President eight years later, in 1993.
Recall that President Buhari had renamed June 12 National Democracy Day in a nationwide broadcast, last year.
Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd) had annulled the June 12 1993 election, which was widely acclaimed to be the most credible, freest and fairest election ever conducted in the history of Nigeria.
The date had since been set aside as a day to remember the late business mogul, MKO Abiola, in many parts of the South-West, before it was declared National Democracy Day by the Buhari administration.
Fani-Kayode said, “MKO Abiola funded the coup that removed Buhari from power in 1985 yet it was the same people he put in power that year that annulled his election as President 8 years later in 1993.
“What an irony! Again the same Buhari he removed from power in 1985 was the one that, 35 years later, and once back in power, apologised for the annulment of his 1993 pres. election & mandate even though he had no hand in it and immortalised his name by declaring June 12th Democracy Day.”
“This is instructive! No matter what you say or think about Buhari, he did well on this one!” He declared.
