Notwithstanding the admixture of excitement, hysteria and outright indignation (in some quarters) that trailed Wednesday’s decision by President Muhammadu Buhari, to, among others, confer the highest honour in the land on Basorun M.K.O. Abiola, winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential vote, and transform that historic date to become Nigeria’s new Democracy Day, the President took a step further, Thursday, to seal the proclamation.
The President directed that the decisions be immediately gazetted.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, disclosed this in a statement released Thursday.
In the release, Shehu said:
“Following his declaration yesterday that henceforth, June 12 be observed as Democracy Day in Nigeria and that some heroes of democracy be given national honours, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Shehu Malami, to take immediate steps to publish the Presidential Order in the Federal Gazette as follows:
Chief MKO Abiola – Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (Posthumous)
Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe – Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger
Chief Gani Fawehinmi -Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (Posthumous)
The President also directed that this should be done so that the awards slated for June 12, 2018 can go on as planned. “