There was rowdy session in the House of Representatives on Thursday over President Muhammadu Buhari stand on June 12.
President Buhari had in a statement declared June 12 democracy day instead of May 29 recognised as democracy day.
This was done to honour the acclaimed winner of 1993 Presidential election, Late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, his running mate, Babagana Kingibe.
However, further debate on the motion was suspended by Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara who directed House committees on Justice and Rule of Business to guide the House on way forward, in view of the position of public holiday Act.
The whole drama followed a motion sponsored by Honourable Wale Raji “on the declaration of June 12 as the National Democracy day in Nigeria by the President Muhammadu Buhari”.
In his motion, the lawmaker noted that “on June 12 1993, Nigerians went to the polls to elect their President after many years of military dictatorship”.
According to him, “the Presidential election was generally acknowledged to be peaceful with large turnout of voters and was adjudged by the international observers groups as the freeiest, fairest and most credible in the democratic history of Nigeria”.
He said that “inspite of the commendable integrity of the election, it was annulled by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida and the country was thrown into a serious political turmoil leading to another military era which lasted till 1999 when the country returned to a democratic regime which has survived to date”.
He however expressed worry that “since 1999, successive governments at the federal level have failed to acknowledge and celebrate June 12 as the real Democracy day rather continued to celebrate May 29 as democracy day in Nigeria.
To this end, he expressed “joy that on June 6, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari in a press release declared June 12 as democracy day instead of May 29”.
The House suspended prayer calling on President Buhari to direct the “Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to release the full result of the June 12 presidential election and declare the winner, Chief MKO Abiola President Elect posthumously with a view to resolving all issues relating to the election and complete the history of June 12 1993 presidential election in Nigeria”.
Another prayer of the motion calling on House to commend President Buhari for recognising June 12 as the National Democracy day in Nigeria was also suspended.
The motion generated heated arguments from lawmakers, as some lawmakers started chanting ” MKO is our man ooo”.
Honourable Edward Pwajok while contributing said that Public Holiday Act must be amended to accommodate the new date for the democracy day as announced by the President.
On the need to release the result of the election, the lawmaker said that Freedom of Information Act should be activated for the purpose.
Honourable Kayode Oladele in his contribution said that, June 12, 1993 was a water shed in the history of Nigeria and subsequently commended the President for recognising June 12 as a democracy day.
Honourable Mojeed Alabi while contributing to the motion said that the result of the annulled election should be released for the purpose of enriching the country’s democracy.
Honourable Chris Azibogu in his contribution said that chairman of defunct National Electoral Commission, Professor Humphrey Nwosu should also be honoured, like other honour by President Buhari.
Honourable Ossai Ossai however said that the intension of the President to declare June 12 as democracy day was wrong “because we celebrated democracy day two weeks ago”.