30 years ago today, on Friday June 11,1993, Nigerian voters were fully prepared to exercise our civic right of choosing, through the ballot box, the civilian successor to the then self-imposed military president of Nigeria, the now-retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida,in that year’s presidential election,since known and called JUNE 12.
It remains Nigeria’s freest and fairest presidential election.
The crafty general, Babangida, who had on 27th August, 1985, toppled the Major-Generals Muhammadu Buhari/Babatunde Idiagbon Federal Military Government, more for his self-aggrandizement than national benefit, had held the country by the jugular for eight years, through his deceitful “TRANSITION-TO- CIVIL RULE PROGRAMME”.
Babangida and his military/civilian cabal, dribbled Nigerians,until he got boxed into a corner on Saturday, June 12,1993. The rest is history.
Tomorrow, Monday June 12, 2023 is DEMOCRACY DAY, the day set aside by the Federal Government led by the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR in commemoration of JUNE 12, 1993, when Nigerians overwhelmingly voted in the late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola GCFR as our President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Abiola was the matyr for democracy and the arrowhead of the Nigerian masses desire for change (democracy) over military dictatorship in 1993. May his valiant soul continue to rest in perfect peace. Amen
PHOTOGRAPHS CAPTIONS
Pic 1:L-R Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola GCFR my humble self, Senior Chief ‘Lekan Alabi, Maye Olubadan of Ibadanland and the founding Secretary-General of the MKO ABIOLA DYNAMIC GROUP and the late Chief ‘Bola Ige SAN, the first Executive Governor of old Oyo State (1979 to 1983) and later the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, who was assassinated in office on Sunday 23rd December, 2001.
Bashorun Abiola was on a presidential campaign visit to Chief Ige on 9th February, 1993, at the Iges Bodija Estate, Ibadan home. I coordinated the visit in my capacity as the Secretary-General of the MKO ABIOLA DYNAMIC GROUP and a former Press Secretary in charge of Television Matters to Chief Ige while he was the Governor of Oyo State in 1983.
Pic 2: Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola GCFR (right) praying for victory during his presidential campaign visit to his CONCORD PRESS IBADAN OFFICE, Adamasingba on 9th February, 1993.
