June 12: Ambode, Obasa, Fani-Kayode commend president

• Omokri blames Buhari’s military for poll’s annulment
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for recognising June 12 as Democracy Day.

He chided previous administrations for neglecting the day, adding that it was indeed important in honouring the presumed winner of the June 12 1993 Presidential Election, the late M.K.O. Abiola.

Others who commended the initiative were the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Femi Fani-Kayode.

Both the governor and Obasa declared their positions in separate statements by their spokesmen, Habib Aruna, and Musbau Obasa.

According to them, the declaration was historic and symbolic in the nation’s political trajectory.

While lamenting that previous administrations had failed to do so, Ambode said it was a “welcome development. It is a historic moment in our nation and I join other Nigerians to commend Buhari on this announcement.

According to him, “It was the day that Nigeria had the freest, fairest and most peaceful election in the country. It was June 12 that gave birth to what we are enjoying today as democracy, which the People Democratic Party (PDP)-led government failed to recognise for 16 years at the centre.

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode @realFFK, tweeted I commend @MBuhari for announcing June 12 as our new Democracy Day. This is long overdue and I am pleasantly surprised.

But, former Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan Reno Omokri tweeted: “If Buhari had not toppled Shagari, June 12 would not have happened. It was the military that Buhari brought into power that annulled June 12 and jailed Abiola till he died. Last week we celebrated 19 years of Democracy. If Buhari hadn’t toppled Shagari, it would have been 39 years!”

“When Abiola was alive, Buhari offered him no help whatsoever. You wined and dined with his tormentor. You watched as Abacha destroyed Abiola’s business. You continue to celebrate Abacha in death and exploit Abiola in death. And you want to ‘honour’ a man whose life you dishonoured?

“How can you honour a man whose life you dishonoured? You have forgotten when you were praising Abacha as the next best thing after sliced bread.”

Another twitter user, princeJoel @Joelsmith07 said: “As for me, no award, no matter how sensitive can pay for Buhari’s incompetence, misgovernance, tyranny and bloodletting.”