June 12 Is Historic

Freedom and choice are powerful ideas whose pursuit have changed the course of human history dramatically. They are values that are intrinsically human but tragically they are perhaps the most trampled expectations of humanity.

It is the commemoration of the Nigerian struggle for freedom and choice that has convoked this meeting.Today (yesterday,Sunday 12 June) is the 18th anniversary of the historic election that promised so much for Nigeria but delivered little.

The June 12, 1993 election has become historic and memorable not because it produced the expected results, but because its sabotage produced a reaction that the saboteurs did not contemplate.

It produced a platform for the expression of the need for change, a better life, true democracy and responsible governance by millions of Nigerians.

The elections ignited in Nigeria, the biggest human force known in our history – the consensus of millions for one common purpose.

The annulled election produced heroes and martyrs. It is to them that this day is dedicated. A day to salute their courage and selflessness. A day to honour them and to keep the flame of hope alive. A day to remind those of us who hold public office that we are trustees of legacies of hope created by the sacrifices of others.

This day calls us to remember Bashorun M. K. O. Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, Alfred Rewane, Abraham Adesanya, Chima Ubani, Gani Fawehinmi and many others who have left us but without whose sacrifice we may still be in the trenches.

It calls upon us to look back at their families and dependents and to spare a thought for them and of course to pray for them.

This day also calls upon us to remember the heroes who are living, to honour and cherish their leadership as testimonies and inspiration to others that the true freedoms and choices have not been achieved and that there remains work yet to be done, and new heroes yet to emerge.

The evidence of work yet to be done is manifested in the mindless orgy of violence that followed the recently concluded general elections.

Those elections exacted a price that was too much for our country. They claimed the lives of 10 (ten) known young persons, who were serving their country; and many others who have not been so prominently identified.

That was not the kind of freedom, choice and promise that the 1993 elections were supposed to deliver.

This is sour in the extreme.

If elections are meant to secure the future and our prosperity, it is not right that they should be delivered at the cost of the lives of the youth who represent that future, or indeed at the cost of any human life.

Our work therefore is far from over.

We must move from here to see not only that justice is done patently and manifestly at the election tribunals, our law enforcement agencies must work with other organs of government to ensure that all reported cases of elections malfeasance, misfeasance or howsoever described are thoroughly investigated and vigorously prosecuted.

Let me of course lend my voice to what appears to be an emerging but fragile line of thinking that only the Independent Electoral Commission has powers to prosecute electoral offenders. Nothing in my view can be further from the truth and to seek to hold firmly to this.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, these are my humble recommendations as we progress in our journey of national development and the pursuit of freedom and choices in a nation where peace and justice will hopefully reign.

Happy anniversary.

•Speech delivered by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, san, at the commemoration of the annulment of the June 12 1993 presidential election on 12th June 2011.