Nigerians Have Recognised Abiola As ‘Elected President’ Since 1993, Says Falana

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, claims that Nigerians have already recognized the late MKO Abiola as a former nation’s leader.

Former military chief Ibrahim Babangida dissolved Abiola’s victory in the 1993 election.

Thirty years after the exercise, Babangida acknowledged in his memoir that Abiola did indeed win the election but that he had to cancel because of “national interest.”

Since Babangida’s admittance, there have been calls for President Bola Tinubu to recognise the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate as a former president of the country. However, Falana claimed that Nigerians have since granted Abiola that status.

“Since 1993, he has been recognized by the people of Nigeria as an elected president”, Falana said on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today. The clock-settings people are only now realizing that.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, Babangida Makes U-Turn 32 Years After, Says MKO Abiola Won June 12 Election

Should former Nigerian president MKO Abiola be acknowledged by President Bola Tinubu?

Here’s what Femi Falana has to say: #CTVTweets#PoliticsToday pic. twitter.com/LuEdYv91hQ

The most recent call for the Nigerian government to recognize former president Abiola is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

“Yes, Abiola won the election. And I’ll say that President Tinubu should honor him as president posthumously,” Kalu, a representative from Abia North, said on Tuesday before the plenary session started.

Where it Belongs

He argued that the Presidential Villa, Abuja, should house Abiola’s portrait next to that of other former leaders. &nbsp,

“Since Abiola won, his picture should be placed among Nigeria’s past presidents”, Senator Kalu said. I applaud former president Buhari for recognizing him as a national hero, but I also urge President Tinubu to put his name on display. His family would gain so much from this.

In 2018, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari conferred the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) honour on Abiola.

Baba Gana Kingibe, Abiola’s running mate, received the Grand Commander of the Niger (GCON) title, in addition to the former president.

In honor of the late SDP chieftain, he also moved the Democracy Day celebration from May 29 to June 12 (the day Abiola won the election).

Source: Channels TV