12th June, 2023
By Olaide Ayinde
Late Chief MKO Abiola should be listed among the past presidents of Nigeria, according to Mr Abdullahi Yelwa, a Lecturer in the Department of Crime Management and Control (CMC), Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi State.
Yelwa stated this on Monday in Bauchi in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the occasion of June 12 celebration.
According to him, the fact that Nigeria recognised and celebrated June 12 was a way of accepting that the annulment of the 1993 presidential election was wrong and hence the late Abiola should be posthumously declared as one of the past presidents of the country.
“It’s good that we recognise and eulogise this day because it’s a way of saying that yes we accept what we did was wrong and we are making amends.
“Accepting that what was done in 1993 by annulling the election was wrong by the government is what led to accepting to celebrate June 12 as Democracy Day.
“What we should do is to consider MKO Abiola posthumously as one of the presidents of Nigeria not just to celebrate the day as Democracy Day.
“Even after his death, we can declare him as among the past presidents, at least a president that was not sworn in and this is part of correcting history and accepting the error,” he said.
Yelwa also said that the fact that there had not been military intervention since 1999 was worth celebrating, saying the country has held elections and the peaceful handing over of the rein of government from one administration to another.
Also speaking with NAN, Mr Olubunmi Adetoye, a civil servant, said that democracy in Nigeria was still young compared, to the Western world.
He said democracy was a work-in-progress in Nigeria and a lot could be achieved if there was no military interruption.
“I believe we are on the way to be reckoned with as one of the “best democratically-inclined“ countries in the world because there has not been any military interference since 1999.
“I call on all Nigerian politicians to practice politics without bitterness. All political parties should be working to move the country forward even though it would be through one political party at any given time.
“As politicians, we must not see the other politicians from another party as perceived enemies. Whichever party wins an election, the opposition party should support it for the interest of the country,” he said.
In his contribution, Mr Yakubu Abubakar said that 24 years of democracy in Nigeria showed that the country had gone far, adding that it was a strong sign that Nigeria was growing democratically and no longer a nascent democracy.
He, however, lamented the lack of deliberate attempt to mould younger politicians to maturity, despite the ‘Not too Young to Rule law’.
“The fee for the purchase of nomination forms can only be paid by the old politicians who have amassed wealth over the years and refused to sponsor the young ones.
“In a nutshell, as a country, we are moving on but our democratic structure is not developing,” said Abubakar.
NAN