IBB’s admission, a vindication of proponents of restoration of June 12 mandate – Okorie

Elder statesman, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has stated that the admission by former military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida(rtd) that thelate Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential elections has vindicatedthe former National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission(INEC), late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, and all those who fought for the restoration of the mandate.

Babangida,on Thursday, during the launch of his autobiography,in Abuja,stated that “Upon reflection and closer examination of all available facts, particularly the detailed election results, which were published as an appendix in his book, there was no doubt that MKO Abiola won the June 12 elections.”

Okorie, reacting to IBB’s public admission, insisted that he was lucky to have lived to admit responsibility for his action, which he added, affected the development and growth of democracy in Nigeria.

Okorie said: “IBB, first and foremost, has vindicated Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, because even in the book, the aspect that he read himself, he acknowledged that it was under his watch that the template for the freest and fairest election was set and that it was Humphery Nwosu’s template. So, Humphery Nwosu that announced that Abiola won has been vindicated even in his death.

“Again, all those who fought for the restoration of the mandate including those who died have also been vindicated, even though this does not come with any reparation or restitution to those who died avoidable death, because if that mandate was honoured as freely given by the people, all those who died as a result of the riots and protests that emanated would not have died. It is now being proven that they fought a good cause and their death should be remembered one way or the other by the present government.”

He insisted that the country’s democracy could have advanced beyond its present level, “if Abiola was allowed to actualise his mandate and democratic process continued from that time.

“But that annulment made it possible for the military to stay longer in politics until they came and introduced this system of election that did not allow the people’s mandate, the people’s choice and for votes to count.

“But all of these things are in the past. It is better that he didn’t leave anything again to imagination or speculation,” he said.