The Progressive People’s Alliance and the Democracy People Party have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for replacing May 29 Democracy Day which June 12.
However, National Chairman of PPA, Garshon Benson, told News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that the president should send a Bill to the National Assembly for a law on the new Democracy Day.
Benson said: “It should not end as executive order. Our party is saying that an executive bill should be sent to the national assembly to make it a law that Nigeria will henceforth, mark democracy day on June 12,’’ Benson said.
“Who knows if Buhari will be there to celebrate it next year or another president will come and make another executive order to change it.’’
The party chairman also lauded Buhari for the national honour conferred posthumously on late Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 election, which was annulled by then military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.
Buhari had on Wednesday announced June 12 as Nigeria’s new Democracy Day starting from 2019, and declared that late Abiola would be conferred with the highest honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic.
Abiola’s running mate in the election, Babagana Kingibe, would be conferred with the Grand Commander Order of Niger, the same for late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
On his part, Chairman of PPA, Chief Peter Ameh, said what Buhari did with the recognition of June 12 would bring pride Abiola’s family that had been struggling for the mandate of their father to be restored.
He said it would also go a long way to motivate Nigerians who came out en masse to cast their votes in the 1993 election that was adjudged the freest, fairest and peaceful.
He said: “The mandate of MKO Abiola is better late than never.’’
Ameh urged the government to extend the honour to Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, who was the Chairman of defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria which conducted the election.
He said: “If you honour these people and Nwosu is not honour, then there is a bias in the process.
“If in the face of intimidation in the military regime, a man like Nwosu could stand up and declare the true reflection of the result, his action must be commended. The Presidency must put that into record.’’
Ameh also requested that the full result of the election should be declared to clear issues surrounding it.
Democracy Day: PPA, DPP commend Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari, former Nigerian military ruler and presidential candidate for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) speaks during an interview with Reuters at a private residence in Lagos February 19, 2011. Buhari, the main opposition candidate in Nigeria's presidential election, said he was optimistic it would be a more credible race than in the past but warned events in north Africa showed people would no longer accept a rigged vote. Picture taken February 19, 2011. To match Interview NIGERIA-BUHARI/ REUTERS/Akintunde Akinleye (NIGERIA - Tags: POLITICS HEADSHOT)
