By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo- Agege has urged Nigeria and Nigerians not to let the historical import of the June 12, 1993 presidential election be lost on them.
Senator Omo-Agege who said this in a special message to mark this year’s Democracy Day commended President Muhammadu Buhari for acknowledging the deep historical significance of June 12 to Nigeria’s democracy by officially declaring it as the Nation’s democracy day.
Read also: Democracy Day: President Buhari’s Full Speech
Senator Omo-Agege, who is also the leader of the APC caucus in the South-South geopolitical zone praised President Buhari for doing what successive governments before him failed to do by conferring the highest honour, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic(GCFR), on Abiola posthumously.
Omo-Agege who represents Delta Central Senatorial Zone at the Upper legislative chambers added that June 12 as a touchstone for democracy will serve as source of inspiration for posterity.
Taking a walk down memory lane, the Deputy Senate President paid tributes to late Chief MKO Abiola, and other heroes of democracy. The Chairman Senate Committee on Constitution Review noted that June 12 remains a watershed in the political history of Nigeria because it was a day Nigerians put national interest above ethnic, religious and all manner of differences.
He said, “June 12, 1993 remains a poignant chapter in the political history of Nigeria and like millions of other Nigerians, I hold the date very dear. It was a date that an unprecedented multitude of Nigerians resoundingly spoke with one voice regardless of ethnic, religious or whatever form of differences.”
The Deputy Senate President who eulogized Nigeria’s past heroes whose efforts and sacrifices culminated in Nigeria’s sovereignty as an independent nation added that he draws inspiration from the exemplary sacrifices and selflessness of these heroes past.
He said: “The nationalists of late Herbert Macaulay’s era led the way towards the realization of an independent Nigeria, the exemplary selflessness of First Republic leaders like Sardauna Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello was terminated with profoundly painful memories; we had icons like the great Nnamdi Azikwe suffering undue relegation to the sidelines and the truest and fairest elections ever achieved as of June 12, 1993 sadly culminated into the death and imprisonment of passionate activists, including the flag bearer of the now-defunct Social Democratic Party, Chief MKO Abiola and his dear activist wife, Kudirat Abiola.”
The Senator representing Delta Central promised to keep the spirit of June 12 alive by ensuring populist grassroots development in his constituency.
He said, “On my part, I have pragmatically chosen to keep the spirit of the people’s June 12 aspirations alive through vigorous pursuit of populist grassroots development in my constituency, Delta Central Senatorial district where our welfarist projects and grassroots philanthropy eloquently speak for themselves.
“Also, as in all responsibilities assigned to my office, my chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Constitution review is not only determined to ensure a more robust democratic growth but the empowerment of the hitherto voiceless majority, especially our women and youth”.
He added: “Strengthened by lessons from the past, life is better lived looking forward; while our party, the APC along with President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly leadership under Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan remain focused on our party’s pro-people manifesto, our individual roles also deserve to be imbued with such dynamism that reflect historical and current realities.”
