Connect with us

Headline

Osoba Describes GCFR Honours on Abiola as Symbolic

Published

8 years ago

on

A two times governor of Ogun State, the home state of Bashorun MKO Abiola, Chief Segun Osoba, has described the the conferment of GCFR honours on the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election, as a welcome and symbolic gesture.

Chief Osoba made the remark Tuesday during the honours award ceremony in Abuja, saying that as a sitting governor during the period under review, he felt the pains, fears and anxieties of fellow Nigerians.

He congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and members of his cabinet for the gesture, and pledged to match on with him on any ‘further legacies to construct on the solid June 12 foundation’ already laid.

Below is the full text of Chief Osoba’s speech:

A WELCOME, SYMBOLIC GESTURE

(REMARKS BY H.E. CHIEF OLUSEGUN OSOBA, CON AT THE JUNE 12, 2018 POSTHUMOUS CONFERMENT  OF THE NATIONAL HONOUR OF GCFR ON CHIEF MOSHOOD KASIMAWO OLAWALE ABIOLA, WINNER OF THE JUNE 12, 1993 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION)

Mr President

Fellow Nigerians,

I join all of us in expressing gratitude to Almighty God for making us witness the historic occasion.  As the sitting governor of Ogun State, home-state of the late Bashorun MKO Abiola in 1993, I was in the forefront and an active participant in the politics of the era.  I shared the fears, pains, and anxieties of fellow Nigerians about those developments.  Since that annulments; our efforts at building an enduring democracy have not always been smooth. Many have sought to falsely consign the promise of the June 12 election to irrelevance.  We have lived in denial for so long.

The decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to halt the deceit, and repair the damage by taking the symbolic step of recognizing the promise of June 12, the sacrifice of Bashorun Abiola and many other heroes of democracy-the artisans, human rights organization, students, traders, journalists, academics, various professionals, organized religion and the labour movement through this conferment of the GCFR award on Chief Abiola is welcome.  So is the proclamation of June 12 as our Democracy Day.  It is never too late to correct a wrong.  We congratulate Mr President and members of his government for this historic action.

We commit The President to the guidance of Almighty God for the courage and wisdom to Do MORE by building on the larger implications of the June 12 election for the sustainable progress and development of Nigeria.

During that campaign our T.V. advert clip of Hope 93 slogan was “on the March Again-MKO is our man O.”   In the spirit of Hope 93, we are prepared and ready to March behind you on any further major legacies you want to construct on the solid June 12 foundation that you laid today.

God Bless you Mr President.  God Bless us all and God Bless Nigeria.

H. E. Olusegun Osoba (CON)

Former Two Times Governor of Ogun State.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Headline

UK Court Acquittal: Diezani Goes Spiritual, Says God Will Always Be God

Published

4 days ago

on

June 18, 2026

By

Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has reacted to her acquittal by a London court after bribery charges brought against her were dismissed.

The Southwark Crown Court in London, United Kingdom, on Wednesday acquitted the former minister of all charges, including five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Reacting to the judgment, Alison-Madueke expressed relief and said she and her family had endured years of emotional distress over the case.

Speaking to News Central, she said she has remained in the United Kingdom since the legal proceedings began 11 years ago.

She said: “I’m just thankful to God, it’s been arduous, almost 11 years. It’s been traumatic not just for me but for my family, friends, my 93-year-old mother in Port Harcourt and for my son.

“It has been a hard journey, but I tell you this, God will always do as He will. God will be God and God is not a man that He should lie; when He promises you something, He will see it through.

“For almost 11 years I have been here. I did my job to the best of my ability.”

Continue Reading

Headline

I Never Saw Report that Led to Natasha’s Suspension, Says Ireti Kingibe

Published

4 days ago

on

June 18, 2026

By

The lawmaker representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), at the Senate, Ireti Kingibe, says she did not see any report that led to the suspension of Kogi Central Senator, Natasha  Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Kingibe made this disclosure on Wednesday when she featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

She said she was at a retreat with Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, when she heard about the report.

“I never saw the report that led to Natasha’s suspension. I was at a retreat. I had earlier stated that I was there with three or four other senators who are members of the committee.

“We attended the Committee on Petitions and Public Complaints, signed the attendance register, and I later left for the tax reform retreat, which I considered more important at the time.

“It affects my constituents much more than disciplining a senator, and I figured that the other people who were not part of that committee would take care of it.

“I even complained to other Senators, specifically to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. I complained to him very bitterly that I had not seen that report. I didn’t see it then. I have not seen it till now,” she said.

Continue Reading

Headline

UK Court Clears Ex-Petroleum Minister Alison-Madueke of All Corruption Charges

Published

5 days ago

on

June 17, 2026

By

Former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke was on Wednesday found not guilty ​by a London jury of six bribery charges, after ‌a rare corruption trial of a high-profile former energy official.
Alison-Madueke, minister for petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 under then-president Goodluck Jonathan, stood trial ​charged with five counts of accepting bribes and a ​charge of conspiracy to commit bribery, which she denied.
Prosecutors ⁠alleged Alison-Madueke, 65, was given “a life of luxury” in London ​from oil and gas industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria, ​which has long grappled with mismanagement and corruption.
But the former minister, who was also briefly president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, ​said she never took any bribes and had no real ​influence over the awarding of lucrative government contracts.
After a trial at London’s Southwark ‌Crown ⁠Court, Alison-Madueke was acquitted by a jury of all six charges she faced after more than 46 hours of deliberation.
The not guilty verdicts are a major blow to British authorities, which began their ​investigation into corruption ​allegations against Alison-Madueke ⁠more than a decade ago.
Alison-Madueke stood trial alongside oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who was ​charged with one count of bribery relating to ​Alison-Madueke ⁠and a separate count of bribery of a foreign public official.
Alison-Madueke’s brother Doye Agama, 69, was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery ⁠with ​his sister relating to payments made to ​Agama’s church.
Both Ayinde and Agama denied the charges against them and were also ​acquitted by the jury.

Source: Reuters

Continue Reading

Trending