Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi, the respective presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, are expected to honour the Late MKO Abiola at his Lagos residence on Sunday, June 12, 2022, to celebrate the nation’s Democracy Day.
This was disclosed by Anthony Kola, Chairman, Organizing Committee of the June 12 Democracy Day, via a statement issued.
According to him, other eminent Nigerians that will be at the event are Professor Wole Soyinka, Chairman of the Occasion, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, General Alani Akinrinade, Professor Pat Utomi, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, Barrister Femi Falana, Barr Mike Ozekhome, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Senator Shehu Sanni, and Chief Dele Momodu among others.
What the Group is saying
It stated, “Three Presidential Candidates namely Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), other eminent Nigerians and Pro-Democracy Activists will on Sunday, June 12, 2022, lay wreath of honor in memory of late Chief M. K. O. Abiola, the winner of the annulled June 12 Presidential election.
“This historic event, which will be hosted at MKO Abiola Family Compound in Lagos named as Nigeria’s Democracy Centre by the June 12 Movement, is aimed to complement the official recognition of June 12 by the Federal Government as Nigeria’s Democracy Day arising from the Martyrdom of MKO Abiola.
“To this end, the historic event is expected to witness Prayers, Tributes, Roll Calls of Honor to Heroes and Heroines of Nigeria’s Democracy and the Laying of a Wreath of Honor in memory of the Martyrdom of MKO Abiola, who sacrificed his precious life to defend the mandate of the Nigerian people freely given to him on June 12, 1993, in birthing the current Democratic rule in Nigeria.
“Some of the other eminent Nigerians invited are Chief Ayo Adebanjo, General Alani Akinrinade, Professor Pat Utomi, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, Barrister Femi Falana, Barr Mike Ozekhome, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Senator Shehu Sanni, Chief Dele Momodu. Similarly, Invitations have been sent to all Pro June 12 Governors and Stakeholders to speak and pay tributes at the event with the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu as Chief Host of the day.”
What you should know about June 12
- June 12 is used to commemorate the annulment of the election that has been described as the freest and fairest in the country’s history.
- Moshood Abiola, Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in 1993, is presumed the winner of the election.
- The election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, a former Head of State. But in 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari declared June 12 as Democracy Day.