2019: Buhari’s proposed honour to MKO smacks of desperation, hypocrisy —PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s proposed national honour to be conferred on the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola.

The party said that the action of the President “smacks of hypocrisy and political desperation ahead of the 2019 presidential election.”

This was contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan in response to Buhari’s announcement to recognise June 12 as the Democracy Day and to honour the late MKO with Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), Nigeria’s highest national honour.

“PDP declares that President Buhari’s action merely sought to use the name and person of Chief Abiola to gain a political capital and not out of genuine reverence and recognition for him.

“The party recalls that President Buhari, who was serving in the military administration of General Sani Abacha during the travails of Chief MKO Abiola, did not associate either by words or actions with the late winner of June 12 election.

“The party further stated that history did not record President Buhari as sympathetic to the Abiola’s family when his wife, Kudirat, was gruesomely murdered by the agents of a government which President Buhari served.

“It is therefore a sign of political desperation for President Buhari to seek to use Chief Abiola’s name as a tool to sway Nigerians in less than twelve months to an election where he, (President Buhari) is seeking a second term.

“It is also shocking that the respectable grave of Abiola can be dishonoured by granting a posthumous award on him along with someone who denounced the June 12 mandate and preferred the company of his (Abiola’s) traducers.

READ ALSO: REVIEW… June 12 and Buhari’s new game in the South West

“Even those who now masquerade as change agents were opposed to the naming of University of Lagos after Chief Abiola.

“If President Buhari genuinely wants to honour Chief Abiola, he should do so by ending all anti-democratic proclivities of his administration and allow for the rule of law and respect for our constitution.

“The PDP therefore urges President Buhari to shed his desperate actions in his quest to win the 2019 presidential election as Nigerians can no longer be deceived by such antics,” the party said.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now