By Eric Elezuo
The son of late presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, Kola Abiola, has written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari in appreciation of the honours bestowed on Bashorun MKO Abiola.
Buhari had on Wednesday declared June 12 as Democracy Day to honour the democracy giant as well as honoured him with the highest honour in the land – GCFR.
He thanked the President for heeding to their plea where previous leaders had turned deaf ear.
Below is the full text of Kola Abiola’s letter
General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
President
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Aso-Rock
Abuja
His Excellency,
NATIONAL HONOUR FOR LATE BASHORUN MOSHOOD KASHIMAWO OLAWALE ABIOLA AND DESIGNATION OF JUNE 12 AS DEMOCRACY DAY
On behalf of the wives, children and grandchildren of late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, I am writing to formally express our sincere appreciation to you for conferring him with the National Honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic(GCFR) and designating June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria going forward.
Your Excellency, as I wrote in my letter to you on June 12, 2016, in our minds, the award was the only befitting recognition of the importance of Chief Abiola’s fight for democracy for Nigeria which culminated in 4 years in incarceration/solitary confinement and decimation of his business and financial interests, before the ultimate sacrifice, being his life on July 7 1998 at the age of 60.
Your Excellency, your decision to also designate June 12 as Democracy Day rights the wrong done to all the nation-builders and heroes that produced the democratic credentials on which the Nigerian polity now thrives. We are profoundly grateful to the people from all corners of Nigeria that worked tirelessly to ensure the most free and fair elections in our nation’s history in 1993, fought valiantly for the Hope ’93 mandate given to Bashorun Abiola by the Nigerian people and died trying to protect the mandate.
Mr President, I thank you earnestly for heeding our plea where others before you did not, whilst conveying the assurances of my highest esteem.
Yours sincerely,
Abdul-Lateef Kola Abiola
