‘A defining change in nation’s politics’

Twenty-three years after the annulment, prominent Nigerians said the exercise still remains defining change in the nations politics.

At the anniversary organised by the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), President, Women Arise for Change Initiative and the Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said there are lots of lessons the country needed to learn from the June 12 Election debacles.

Also, National Coordinator, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Gani Adams and Prof Duro Oni of the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos, corroborated that the day remains a watershed in our political history.

According to Okei-Odumakin, while the day remains a defining moment, “Unfortunately the country is yet to learn enough from that development, otherwise by now Nigeria ought to have been restructured to true federalism.”

She lamented that after the unjust annulment of the Nigerian people mandate by some cabals, “There hasn’t been enough justice done to the issue. Without June 12 there wouldn’t have been May 29 that we are celebrating today.”

Oni in his lecture, titled: ‘The Spectre of June 12, Change Agenda and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria’ said no one can wave aside the fact that it is not in doubt that the June 12, 1993 election laid the foundation for sustainable democracy in Nigeria.

While he said Nigerians should not loose hope despite the unpalatable socio-economic and political situation we found ourselves at present “Nigeria is still destined for greatness, if only we can do the right things at all times.”

“Even more unprecedented is the fact that the former president, Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat and indeed congratulated the winner even before the final results were announced”.

Adams on his part lamented that the Nigerian authorities in1993, colluded with some civilians to kill an apostle of non-violence who won the most peaceful election in the history of the country.