TAIWO FAROTIMI
President Muhammadu Buhari has declared June 12 of every year the National Democracy Day. The national holiday will now replace May 29. This step is apparently a response to calls for the country’s freest and fairest election to be appreciated officially and the man who payed the supreme price for democracy after being elected should be given national recognition.
By this decision , the president has bowed to arguments that the date of change of baton in government is not as important to the national life as the June 12, which formed the foundation for the democratic process for Nigeria, after the military was forced to leave the stage. A release personally signed by the president announced the official position today, Tuesday June 6.
The winner of that June 12, 1993 election, Moshood Abiola will also be decorated with the highest honour in the country, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR. Babagana Kingibe , Abiola’s running mate at the annulled election will also be decorated with Grand Commander of the Niger, GCON. The same honour as Kingibe will be given to Gani Fawehinmi, fiery Lagos lawyer and human rights activist. Fawehinmi died about nine years ago.
