. . . Eulogises Gani Fawehinmi, Beko, Falana, others

A Pro-democracy activist, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, has declared that the June 12 Presidential Election of 1993 has no comparison in the nation’s electoral process since independent as it still remained a watershed in the political firmament of the country.

It would be recalled that the June 12 Presidential election was widely believed to be won by the late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola as being the fairest and freest election in the nation’s political life.

But the poll was annulled by the former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.

In his Democracy Day message to commemorate this year June 12, 2023 celebration, Comrade Sulaiman who is the Executive Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), eulogised late social critics and foremost human rights activists, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Barrister Alao Aka Bashorun, Pa Anthony Enahoro, Pa Adekunle Ajasin, Pa Abraham Adesanya, Ayodele Akele, Barrister Segun Sango,Baba Omojola.

He further listed other June 12 democracy heroes to include Barristers Femi Falana, Ebun Adegboruwa, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, Senator Sheu Sanni, Comrade Adeola Shoetan, Dr. Dipo Fashina, Bar. Femi Aborishade, Comrade Lanre Suraj, Comrade Sina Odugbemi, Comrade Debo Adeniran, and host of others.

According to the statement made available to newsmen on Monday, Sulaiman disclosed that the nation's political process still needed to be rescued by the remaining genuine human rights and pro-democracy activists in the corridor of human rights community in the land.

Sulaiman,who doubles as Convener, Save Lagos Group (SLG), alleged that the 2023 general elections was short of expectations of the Nigeria masses where the electoral umpire and its collaborators refused to allow votes to counted but selected those they want to rule the country for the next four years.

He called for the immediate removal of the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Yakubu Mahmood, from office, describing the election conducted under him as a sham.

He said that it was very unfortunate that Chief MKO Abiola sacrificed his precious life to enable Nigeria to return back to democratic space but argued that those who are the beneficiaries of the current democratic experiment have bastardized the political system by using political offices to enrich themselves.

The human rights activist urged the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure immortalization of late Chief MKO Abiola by ensuring that he (Abiola) was recognised as former President and also given all dues as Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) so that his sacrifice would not be in vain.

“It is very sad that the successive governments in the country jettisoned the good democratic ideals of late MKO Abiola of ensuring dividends of democracy to Nigerian masses. Today, Nigeria people are wallowing in abject poverty as a result of the bad policies of those they choose to lead the nation,” Sulaiman said, while calling on the administration of President Tinubu to commence “genuine healing of the land with sincerity of purpose.”

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