12th of June in Nigeria

The historic Nigerian presidential election of June 12, 1993, The 20th anniversary of the assassination of Chief MKO Abiola-winner of the June 12 1993 election, the sorrow and silence of the widowed Kudirat Abiola, the ongoing debate of July 12th vs May 29th as Nigeria's democracy day, the heat on 2015 presidential election, June 12, a key day in the hearts of Nigerians.

Nigeria's June 12, a narrative

Twenty years have passed since the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election. Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won the election against Alhaji Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC). The election has been considered the freest and fairest in the nation’s history. So what happened?

General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the result. No reasons given nor explained. The winner declared himself the rightful winner and president. He was later arrested by the infamous military junta of Gen Sani Abacha and died in custody on July 7, 1998 under unclear circumstances. The passage of time has done little to numb the June 12 events.

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said that “We need to remind ourselves what June 12, 1993 represents. It is neither mere date nor sentiment. It is simply human spirit. “What June 12 possesses is exactly what May 29, or any other day, lacks. The former was a spirit of unified purpose, the latter simply an egotistical appropriation of the gift of the former.

The Founder of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, has called on the Federal Government to declare June 12 of every year as Nigeria Unity Day just as he insisted that Babangida, who annulled the presidential election must apologise to Nigerians.

The daughter of late MKO Abiola, the winner of the June 12 election, Mrs. Hafsat Abiola-Costello, said the vision of her father is not dead.

“So today is the day when true democrats rise up again, and dust off our shoes. Today is the day when we look at one another and say ‘20 years later, we have come full circle. For on this day, we begin the march for true democracy once again. We begin our second battle for independence.”