Nigerians have been urged to use the occasion of the marking of the June 12 to reflect on the lessons and ensure the conduct of free and fair elections, as well as entrench internal party democracy in the political parties.
Engr. Chukwumah Philip Ugbomah, a House of Assembly hopeful in Delta State made the call on the occasion of the celebration of the 25 anniversary of the 1993 national election, popularly known as June 12, which was believed to have been won by the late Chief MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, which was annulled by the then maxim ruler, President Ibrahim Babangida, said the call became necessary as that election was adjudged the best election ever held in Nigeria.
In a press release to mark the 2018 anniversary of the annulment in Asaba on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, Ugbomah who sued for free and fair elections in Nigeria, expressed his support for the Federal Government’s decision to immortalise June 12 as the new Democracy Day, arguing that such move had been viewed as a right step in the right direction.
“This move is viewed by me and other unrepentant democrats as a right step in the right direction. My reason for supporting this move is not farfetched. I strongly believe that by restoring June 12, we send a clear signal of our readiness to positively rewrite our history by assuring ourselves and the rest of the world that from this day, votes of the Nigerian electorates would count.”
The statement stated that June 12 should also not be taken for just what it stands for, but rather it denotes the collective quest by Nigerians for freedom, from all forms of autocratic leadership in the country.
“June 12 is also emblematic of our collective quest for freedom. Freedom from military autocracy, freedom from coercion and despotism, freedom even from the internal enemies of this country,” Ugbomah stated.
He asserted that posthumously honouring the acclaimed winner of the elections with the highest honour in Nigeria, was commendable as no system develops a nation faster than which reflects in totality the will of the people.
“By elevating the acclaimed winner of the June 12 election to the highest cadre of national honour posthumously, we have again reassured our people that there is a coming order that will respect the wish of the people in a free, fair and credible contest. No other system develops a nation faster than that which reflects in totality the will of the people,” he said, adding that no reason should ever make any leader truncate a process that was adjudged credible.
“No reason should ever make any leader truncate a process that was adjudged credible. I call on our people from Ndokwa East, Delta and Nigeria in general to again have faith in the system. I equally admonish those in positions of authority to ensure that the mistakes that turned the joys of June 12 1993, to sorrow is never repeated again at any level of our polity. Let the people decide. Let the votes count,” he concluded.
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