The June 12 election is considered one of the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. It is believed to have been won by late Moshood Abiola and his running mate Babagana Kingibe. The election was annulled before final results were officially announced. Mr Abiola was eventually jailed by the Sani Abacha military dictatorship for seeking to actualise his mandate. He died in prison in 1998.

President Buhari on Wednesday decided to honour Mr Abiola by declaring June 12 as Nigeria’s new Democracy Day. It was formally May 29. The president also declared that Mr Abiola would be given Nigeria’s highest national honour, GCFR, while Mr Kingibe would be given the second highest, GCON.

Coming under order 42 and 52, Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti-PDP), re-opened the issue to allow contributions. While commending Mr Buhari for the move, she wants him to do more in legalising the gesture

“For once, I want to thank the President of Nigeria. I want to say he has done well. This is one time that the President has given a thought to what (Moshood) Abiola and his family went through to fight for this democracy that we enjoy today.

“Going further, there are issues to be addressed so that we can be confident that this is not a Greek gift.”

She prayed the Independent National Electoral Commission to announce the result of the June 12, 1983 election officially, grant entitlements to the winners, recognise Babagana Kingibe as a former vice president and the executive declare June 12 a public holiday.

Mr Kingibe was running mate to Mr Abiola in the June 12, 1993 election. Mr Buhari on Wednesday announced that Mr Abiola would be conferred with Nigeria’s highest national honour, GCFR, while Mr Kingibe would be conferred with the second highest honour, GCON.

latonyn:
You like writing sha
how will abiola be honoured with GCFR with recognizing his vice
sorry OP you missed this

TylerDurden:
There are very few highly despicable and hated Nigerian politicians than Baba-Gana Kingibe and that is saying a lot for a Nigerian politician. Now this highly degenerate individual who has crawled back into the corridors of power like a sleuthing snake that he is, is being awarded an accolade that he is no way deserving of. But this after all is a Buhari govt where the owerllian rule applies that is where saints are condemned and criminals like Abacha are celebrated so it did not surprise me that a con man like Kingibe will find a place within the very heart of Buhari's govt.

This is the same Kingibe that never for once fought for the joint mandate of June 12 but rather quickly absorbed himself into the Abacha regime - the same regime that truncated that mandate.

Kingibe will disappear from Nigeria immediately after Abacha's death only to lobby his way into the Yaradua administration as SGF only to be abruptly rightfully sacked by Yaradua himself.

How does this new elevation of Kingibe to GCON benefit him? For one, he can go around parading himself as a former VP and also find his way to attend all future NEC meetings. But by far the best thing to accrue to Kingibe is that he gets to live out the rest of his degenerate hedonistic life at the expense of tax payers as he will now be entitled to annual pensions and perks that a retired VP enjoys.

IkpuNnegiEwu44:


But the real Hero of June 12, the man that ensured the election was free and fair, the man that risked his life to stand up to the threats of the military junta, the man that refused to do the bidding of the military was NEVER honoured nor remembered.

I mean Prof A.B.C Nwosu.

gaby:


Humphrey Nwosu you mean?

IkpuNnegiEwu44:


Thanks for the correction

eodavids:


Please, Op, what benefit prestigious and, or economical will the award of GCFR and GCON do to Abiola and Gani respectively now that they are long dead and to the Yoruba Nation in general?

OjujuCalabar:
Please They should look for some titles for Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu and Alex Ekwueme.

e7ejinima:
Only few will understand this

TonyeBarcanista:
POINT OF NOTE:

1. That Kingibe did not fight for the mandate still doesn't invalidate the fact that he was the presumed joint winner of the mandate and presumed Vice President-elect.

2. Since MKO is awarded GCFR (and rightly so) it is only necessary to award Kingibe GCON.

3. That Kingibe is GCON doesn't mean he was a former Vice President. He was Never VP of Nigeria, as one can only claim to occupy the office after taking oath of office.

4. Kingibe is not the only non-ex VP GCON, David Mark and Aliko Dangote are also GCON, yet not one of them have been VP or former VP.

5. GCON award is not equivalent to Vice Presidency, and holders of GCON are not entitled to any monetary benefit and pensions.

6. A former VP is not entitled to membership of National Executive Committee or Council of State.

Meanwhile, I think we should move beyond this subject...

IkpuNnegiEwu44:


But the real Hero of June 12, the man that ensured the election was free and fair, the man that risked his life to stand up to the threats of the military junta, the man that refused to do the bidding of the military was NEVER honoured nor remembered.

I mean Prof Humphrey Nwosu.