We fashioned our development agenda after Abiola’s Hope ‘93, says Abiodun

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has said that the “Building our Future Together” agenda of his administration is to identify with the dreams and vision of Chief M. K.O. Abiola’s Hope ’93 campaign message.

Abiodun, who stated this in his address to mark this year’s June 12 anniversary, also known as Democracy Day, in Abeokuta, described the late Abiola as a man who was concerned not only with the development of the country, but also the well-being of the people.

He said: “We are proud to identify with the dream and vision encapsulated in ‘Hope 93’. This also provided the compass to fashion building our future together agenda to rekindle hope in the people.

“I believe that the best way to immortalise the late MKO. Abiola is to ensure that the ideals that he lived and fought for continue to live after him.

“We must continue to propagate the evolution of democratic ideals and principles for the future development of Nigeria as a nation.”The governor said that his government was following the narrative of Abiola’s Hope ’93 in the area of education, agriculture, poverty alleviation, affordable healthcare, provision of infrastructure and good governance.

He noted that the late acclaimed winner of June 12 election was the first presidential candidate to tour the entire nation and had dreamt of using the nation’s wealth to cater for the people and move the country towards the path of prosperity, where poverty would be banished.

According to him, Abiola remains the iconic reference for and symbol of “one Nigeria and the closest to democracy,” noting that the nation would have moved from its third world country status to the first world like Singapore if MKO had assumed leadership.

The governor, who described June 12 as the day when all Nigerians, irrespective of tongue and tribe, spoke in one voice by voting for progress and change, in a manner that had never been witnessed in the history of the nation, likened its significant to October 1, 1960 when Nigeria got her Independence.

According to him, this year’s celebration would have been a grand one, but for the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that it was still imperative to mark the day in recognition of the late philanthropist’s sacrifice, which paved the way for the democracy that Nigerians are now enjoying.

He thanked the President for conferring the highest honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic on Abiola to correct the injustice done to him and for addressing it as a pre-requisite for peace and unity.

“We consider this honour as part of the healing and reconciliation” which should be a natural “apology from our leaders to us,” he said. He, however, urged Nigerians to reflect on the unquantifiable selfless sacrifice and contributions of M.K.O. Abiola to the development of the nation, saying: “Only real democracy can move our nation forward towards progress and earn her the respect she deserves from the international community.”