From Bola Ogunlayi,Ibadan
A Professor of Linguistics at the University of Ibadan, Francis Egbokhare has called for prosecution of the former Military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida to heal the wounds of June 12, 1993 in the hearts of Nigerians.
Professor Egbokhare, a former Director, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan, stated this while reviewing a book entitled “Lest We Forget” Authored by Oloye Lekan Alabi, the Agbaakin Olubadan at the 25th June 12 Presidential Election Anniversary Lecture organized by the Oyo State League of Veteran Journalists.
Egbokhare, who projected lessons of the June 12, observed that the former military head of state failed to recognize his friendship with the late MKO by bolting his political career and putting the nation’s democracy at crossroads when he cancelled the only true election in the history of Nigeria.
He argued that by annulling the June 12 poll, IBB brutalized the popular will of Nigerians and should be prosecuted in a competent court of law to serve as deterrent to others who may likely want to be power drunk in future elections.
The University don stressed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s gesture towards the recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day should not be a total closure until the former military head of state faces the full weight of the law for violating the will of the people.
“Nigeria is fractured and there is need for it to be made whole again; why did we subvert people and later honour them? If Abiola was so popular, why did we subvert him and now honoring him at the grave? June 12 was a statement that Nigerians are not stupid people, that given the chance, elections can be free and fair. There must be an attempt to study what went on in the June 12 election and what made MKO Abiola widely accepted.
“We marginalize the essence of the day; we focus on the man MKO Abiola. It is not about June 12, it is about an ideology and the quest for quality representation at the corridor of government. June 12 is greater than MKO; its significance is more than the man, his travails and his death.”
Delivering a lecture on ‘Democracy yesterday, today and tomorrow’, former speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Honorable Akin Onigbinde, SAN said the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day and the investiture of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on late Moshood Abiola, the winner of the 1993 presidential election had returned Nigeria to the path of true democracy.
Represented by Dauda Adams, Honourable Onigbinde explained that the gesture would shape the 2019 general elections by serving as a template for recruiting the next set of leaders for the country.