It was during the discussion on the posthumous honour on late Chief MKO Abiola as the Grand Commander Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFRN). This honour was bestowed on Abiola by President Muhammadu Buhari in recognition of June 12, 1993 as a significant day in Nigeria. The Presidency stated that from 2019 upward, June 12 would become Democracy Day in Nigeria as against the current May 29 being celebrated as Democracy Day.
President Buhari also apologized to the family of late MKO Abiola for the injustice the Federal Government done to him by annulling the June 12, 1993 presidential election which he was presumed to have won. I considered Mr. Buhari's apology as hypocritical because he didn't play any visible role in the annulment of that election. Unless, if he was actively involved surreptitiously in the annulment of that election. There was no reason for Mr. Buhari to apologize for an offence he didn't commit. Thus, the apology was out of place and unnecessary.
I considered this gesture as a desperate political move by President Muhammadu Buhari in order to woo the likes of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his associations and the people of the South-West having sidelined and trashed them after winning the 2015 presidential election. This is the only alternative opportunity Buhari has to woo the South-West geopolitical zone of the country having surrounded himself with only his Fulani brothers and sisters. This is so as all the security agencies are headed by Mr. Buhari's kinsmen.
However, on the honour conferred on MKO Abiola, my co-discussant believed that it was good and genuine for Mr. Buhari to have done so. According to him, the award of GCFRN is not meant for only heads of state and presidents. He said the same honour was given to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo though he was never the president of Nigeria.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Dear readers, please leave your comments. We appreciate them.