The Lagos State Government on Saturday declared June 12, 2018 as public holiday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the annulled 1993 Presidential elections, adjudged to be have won by the late MKO Abiola.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the significance of June 12, 1993 elections, adjudged as the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria, would always be a reference point in the state’s quest to entrench true democracy in service to the people.
Commending President Buhari’s recent declaration of June as the new Democracy Day, the Governor said the singular act would forever ensure that Chief MKO Abiola and other martyrs of democracy who laid down their lives in the struggle to entrench good governance did not do so vain.
In a similar vein, Ogun State government has also declared Tuesday, 12 June, 2018 work-free to enable residents and other stakeholders mark the Democracy Day.
A statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa on Saturday, said the day would also be used to celebrate the recent conferment of a posthumous national honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic on the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Chief Abiola.
According to the statement, Ogun had been marking democracy day on June 12 in he last seven years, saying that this year would be no exception as befitting events, including a Democracy Walk to be led by the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun have been lined up for the celebration.
“The walk scheduled to take off from the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta at 7am will take participants through major roads in the state capital to the Abiola’s family house at Oke-Ido, Gbagura where prayers will be offered for the martyr,” it said.
Also the Osun Government has declared June 12 as public holiday to mark democracy day in the state.
Dr Obawale Adebisi, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, in a statement on Saturday in Osogbo, said the public holiday was in line with a policy of the state to observe June 12 as Democracy Day every year.
Adebisi said the present administration had since inception been observing June 12 as Democracy Day in remembrance of the 1993 presidential election, which was adjudged the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria.
The commissioner said Gov. Rauf Aregbesola had always maintained “June 12, 1993 was the day democracy was born in Nigeria.
“Aregbesola’s stance on June 12 as Democracy Day had been justified by President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration of the day as Nigeria’s democracy day instead of May 29. “We also commend the President for honouring Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election with a posthumous award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR).
Solacebase reports that the Federal Government has said that there will be no national public holidayon june 12 this year but from next year.
