Alh Gboyega Oyetola, the Chief of Staff to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and one of the leading aspirants on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the coming gubernatorial election in the state, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring June 12 as a new Democracy Day.
Oyetola who expressed excitement on the announcement also commended the President for posthumously awarding Chief MKO Abiola, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCF)
This was disclosed In a press statement made available to Newsmen Princess Dayo Fasola the spokesperson of Ilerioluwa campaign Organisation.
Oyetola said President Buhari has shown to the world the progressive trait in him and the APC. He added that there was need for well meaning Nigerians to commend Buhari for the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day and the conferment of GCFR on the late MKO Abiola.
He noted that the agitation by some progressive minded people over the years on the need to immortalise late Abiola had been peaceful but also increasingly mounting. Truth can now be said to have finally prevailed.
” June 12 is a date which is more symbolic than May 29 or even October 1.
“The good part is that effort of Nigerians in forgetting religious and tribal sentiments as exhibited by the June 12 elections is not in vain. June 12 as Democracy Day is absolutely symbolic.
“What Obasanjo (former President) failed to recognise all this while in spite being the greatest beneficiary of June 12, a Nigerian of northern extraction has brought it to the front burner,” he added.
Commending Governor Rauf Aregbesola for being among the governors in Nigeria who has been duly and consistently giving recognition and declaring public holiday on June 12, Oyetola congratulated the governor for his foresight, leadership and doggedness .
He recalled that Aregbesola was the first to declare public holiday every June 12 since the inception of his administration.
He thereafter congratulated Nigerians and the people of Osun in particular for the long awaited recognition which eventually came to being this year.
The statement by the presidency which reads “Accordingly, after due consultations, the Federal Government has decided that henceforth, June 12 will be celebrated as the Democracy Day.
” Therefore, government has decided to award posthumously, the highest honour of the land, GCFR to late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 cancelled election.
“His running mate as Vice President Amb. Babagana Kingibe is also to be invested with a GCON.
“Furthermore, the tireless fighter for human rights and the actualisation of June 12 elections and indeed for democracy in general, the Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN, is to be awarded posthumously a GCON.
“The commemoration and investiture will take place on Tuesday June 12, a date which in future years will replace May 29 as a National Public Holiday in celebration of the Nigerian Democracy.” is being applauded in several quarters across the Nation.
