*Controversy trails Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day
*INEC must announce result of June 12 election – Senate
*Canvasses allowances/entitlements to Abiola, Kingibe
*Kingibe does not deserve GCON award – Afenifere
*Reps kick against new Democracy Day
*As Buhari orders immediate gazetting of Presidential Directive
Controversy has continued to trail President Muhammadu Buhari’s recognition of
June 12 as Nigeria’s new Democracy Day and the conferment of highest honours
of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR and Grand Commander of
the Order of Niger, GCON on Moshood K. O. Abiola and his running mate in the
June 12 presidential election, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe.
While the Senate adopted five resolutions including that the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC announce the result of the June 12
presidential election and pay the duo their allowances and entitlement, the House
of Representatives kicked against Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as Nigeria’s new
Democracy Day.
But on its part, a Pro-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, declared that the
award- Grand Commander of the Order of Niger, GCON on Ambassador Babagana
Kingibe by President Muhammadu buhari was underserved explaining that
Kingibe does not merit the award because according to the group, he betrayed
June 12 struggle by accepting to serve as a Minister of Foreign Affairs under
Abacha regime.
The Senate resolution came as a result of point of order moved by Senator Biodun
Olujimi, Ekiti South who called the attention of the Senate to the honours given to
the two personalities by President Buhari following another motion moved by
Senator Lanre Tejuosho who harped on the need to pay Abiola and Kingibe their
entitlements.
After a robust debate on the motion on the matter by several Senators, the
Senate adopted five prayers including that the result of the June 12, 1993 election
must be announced, all allowances and entitlement be paid to Abiola as a former
president and Kingibe as a former vice president, that Kingibe be recognised as
former vice president and that June 12 be declared public holiday.
The lawmakers also resolved that May 29 remains the day for inauguration of
presidents of Nigeria as June 12 date will mean tenure elongation which is against
the Constitution.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in his reaction urged his colleagues to look
away from the imperfections and first commend President Buhari for the
decision.
“We need to be guided. I think the whole essence of this discussion was to
recognise the fact that Chief MKO Abiola, his contributions, what he had been
through, his tribulations contributed to Nigeria’s re-joining the comity of
democratic nations in 1999.
“For many years, it was long overdue. The good intention is what we should
recognise. There might be imperfections in how it was implemented but let us for
today take the good intention.
“The other issues, I’m not saying they are wrong or right. Whether the award is
right, the process and constitutional amendment to recognition of Babagana
Kingibe’ position as Vice President, the process of making June 12 a public
holiday.
“In the spirit of all those imperfections, we should not allow that to cloud what
Chief M.K.O Abiola stood for,” he declared.
It would be recalled that the late M.K.O Abiola was acclaimed to have won the
June 12 1993 presidential election that was considered as the most transparent
presidential election in Nigeria on the platform of the Social Democratic Party,
SDP with Babagana Kingibe as running mate but it was annulled by the General
Ibrahim Babangida Military Government.
In the House of Representatives, members declined an official position on
Buhari’s declaration as it referred the matter to its Committees on Justice and
Rules and Business for further legislative action.
At yesterday's plenary, no sooner had a motion on the declaration of June 12 as
the national democracy day, which came under matters of urgent national
importance was presented on the floor of the House, than Hon. Ossai Nicholas
Ossai, PDP, Delta state, kicked against the new date, insisting that the intended
change was in bad faith
However, his position drew the ire of some lawmakers who shouted him down,
resulting into a rowdy scenario.
Whereas some lawmakers kicked against the motion, others backed it to the
extent of singing praises of "MKO is our man," a development that threw the
House into 20 minutes of rowdiness.
However leading debate on the general principles of the motion, titled, "motion
on the declaration of June 12 as the national democracy day in Nigeria by
President Muhammadu Buhari," Hon. Wale Raji from Lagos, noted that since
1999, successive governments at the federal level have failed to acknowledge and
celebrate June 12 as the real democracy day rather continued to celebrate May
29 as democracy day in the country.
Some of the lawmakers also argued that the Public holidays Act empowers the
President to fix a new public holiday; the act defines May 29 as date for
celebration of Democracy Day, adding that the parliament has to amend the Act
and change the date before the new date of June 12 will be adopted
Before ruling on the issue, the Speaker explained that the Public holidays Act
gives room for the President to fix public holidays.
Dogara said: “The National Assembly has exercised its powers as provided in the
Constitution by enacting that Act, but Section 2(2) gives the President Powers to
declare a new date for public holidays.”
The Speaker, however, said that the matter will be suspended and referred it to
the House Committees on Justice and Rules and Business to sort out the issues
and report back to the House.
He said: “There is a schedule in the Act which leaves Democracy Day as May 29.
So the issue to be resolved is to look at the presidential declaration and compare
with the Section of the Act that states that June 12 is the Democracy Day. So I will
freeze the motion, and refer the matter to the committees on Justice and Rules
and Business."
But Afenifere’s Spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin said Babagana Kingibe does not
merit the award and discredited the Buhari-led administration for sidelining most
key late players that contributed immensely to the attainment of Democracy in
Nigeria.
“There are many actions that are being taken by this administration which have
no reference to the law, without even being aware of what they are doing, and
you have democracy day on May 29th, this did not occur to them, they just came
and said let’s honour Abiola without looking at the laws.
“This shows the shoddiness in their actions”, he added.
While he later commended President Buhari’s motive, he said it’s not yet time for
honours in Nigeria saying “We’re in the midst of killings; because there’s no day
you open the newspaper in Nigeria now that you don’t find killings suggesting
that government should first address the killings in the land, ensure that Nigerians
are safe from the farmer-herders’ clashes, before conducting such award
programmes.”
Meanwhile, 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, GCFR (Posthumous)
Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe – Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger,
GCON and Chief Gani Fawehinmi -Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger,
GCON (Posthumous)
In a release by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Garba Shehu
he also directed that this should be done so that the awards slated for June 12,
2018 can go on as planned.