By MUYIWA OYINLOLA
LEADERSHIP - Following the recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day and the posthumous conferment of national honour on the acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election, the late MKO Abiola, by the Federal Government the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has queried the conferment of national honour on his running mate, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe.
The party, during a press conference held yesterday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of June 12 holding today noted that whereas, Abiola, being a symbol of democracy, having paid the supreme price deserved the award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), Kingibe does not deserve the award of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) being conferred on him.
The National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, who stated during the press conference held in Abuja noted that: “The conferment of the award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, who was the running mate of Chief MKO Abiola, is glaringly misplaced and self-serving.”
To back up the position of the party, Gabam added that: “Ambassador Kingibe renounced the June 12 mandate as quickly as the military gave him a pot of porridge”.
“He accepted ministerial appointments, first as Foreign Minister and later as Minister of Interior under the draconian administration of Abacha. Kingibe did not participate in the struggle hence he does not deserve this national honour.”
While speaking further, he noted that: “As a party on whose platform the late Abiola won the election in 1993, we congratulate the family members of the late Chief MKO Abiola and all the labour leaders, lawyers, journalists, civil rights activists and politicians who either lost their lives or suffered untold persecution during the struggle against the military.
“With government’s decision, it is apparent that, though delayed, their labour was not in vain. It is a welcome relief”.
The party however called on the government to grant the late politician as well as the entire heroes and heroines of the nation’s democracy and Nigerians the highest honour by ensuring that the 2019 general elections are as free and fair as the June 12th election “that we are celebrating today”.
It also called on all Nigerians to guard against any effort by government or any political party to manipulate the electioneering process in 2019.
“We should resist every effort to use the armed forces against the people before, during, and after next year’s elections against opponents or the will of the people.”
“Any steps that would affect the credibility of the elections should be resisted by the people”, it stated.
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