THE Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, on Tuesday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for having the political will to declare and celebrate June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

Obasa, the Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, also commended National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for his commitment to June 12 actualisation.

The speaker, in a statement on Tuesday, signed by his Press Officer, Ms Chioma Anifowose, commended the two leaders ahead of Wednesday’s celebration of June 12 as the new Democracy Day in the country.

He also lauded past and present Southwest governors and leaders for initiating the idea of making June 12 the real Democracy Day.

“We have to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for having the political will to right the wrong and for going ahead to sign the Bill passed by the National Assembly on the matter into Law.

“It shows the courage and commitment of a man who is hell bent on correcting the ills of the past.

“Going forward, we should also not fail to recognize and commend the pioneering efforts of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was the first governor to declare June 12 Democracy Day in the history of Nigeria.

“After his historic declaration, other southwest governors followed in his footsteps. We should therefore salute and commend their courage,’’ he said.

Obasa also commended those who lost their lives and properties during the struggle for the actualisation of the June 12 mandate, describing them as Democracy Heroes.

“We should also spare our thought for the Matyrs of Nigerian Democracy: Chief Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola and his wife, Kudirat who lost their lives during the struggle,’’ he said.

Obasa said that the ideal of June 12 did not only lie in declaring it Democracy Day, but the lesson learnt therein.

“That election was a historic one: where millions of Nigerians voted in a peaceful atmosphere for one man.

“The struggle to actualise the election results and mandate was a clear indication that the Nigerian people will always fight for their right and struggle to defend what is right.

“On behalf of my colleagues in the Lagos State House of Assembly, I salute Nigerians on this historic celebration and wish them more of such.’’

NAN reports that Buhari on Monday signed into the law the Public Holiday (Amendment) Bill which accommodates June 12 as the new Nigeria’s Democracy Day, replacing May 29.

Buhari had earlier on June 6, 2018, declared that June 12 would be the new Democracy Day.

The date is in commemoration of the presidential election of  June 12, 1993, presumed to have been won by the late Chief MKO Abiola.

The election, adjudged to be Nigeria’s freest and fairest, was, however, annulled by the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida-led military administration. (NAN)

– June 11, 2019 @ 16:55 GMT |