The June 12 presidential elections represent a significant turn in the nation’s history leading to its current status as a country practising 25-year democratic governance after military rule albeit its fragility and the belief by a large section of the polity that it is yet to yield dividends for the masses especially the poorest of the poor.
Considering that successive governments were not quite successful in fostering national unity in a diverse and complex nation whose borders were drawn by British colonialists, incorporating more than 371 ethnic groups hence, the disparate graph of democratization and development across regions, and geopolitical zones no less amplified by worsening security, continuing corruption, two recessions, and a itching third to happen.
However, June 12 as a moment etched in time epitomizes the struggle and sacrifices of Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO) Abiola and others that paved the way for the end of military rule and the establishment of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999 – as the June 12 Presidential election in 1993 was the first after 1983 military coup in Nigeria. An election involving two political parties, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC) as Nigeria ran a two-party sate system during the period in focus.
MKO Abiola ran for president under the banner of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with Babagana Kingibe as running mate and Bashir Tofa for the National Republican Convention (NRC) with Sylvester Ugoh as wingman. To date, international and local observers agree that the June 12, 1993 elections was the fairest and freest elections Nigeria has conducted even though it was aborted through events with adverse impact on the country and its democracy riddling many with painful scars to bear even today.
Notably, the then military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida disagreed with local and international observers on the election being free and fair. He annulled it claiming the exercise was riddled with election inconsistencies and fraud. However, decades after he cited the prevention of a violent coup in the era as his primary excuse for annulling the free and fair presidential election.
The cancellation by Babangida spiralled into a national protest of epic proportions which led to his stepping aside on 27 August 1993 installing MKO Abiola’s townsman from Ogun State Ernest Shonekan as the leader of an interim government.
Although, Abiola had already decalared himself president on 11 June 1994 in Epetedo, Lagos State – a move that led to being accused of treason and under the command of General Sani Abacha was arrested on 23 June 1994, detained for four years and died on 7 July 1998 on the date of his supposed release by the regime of Abacha.
Who is MKO Abiola and how did he become the resilient poster-child for Nigeria’s democracy?
Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola was a renowned businessman, politician and publisher from Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State in South West Nigeria. He is said to have made his billions from the oil & gas and communication sectors amid an array of other lucrative enterprises.
MKO first ran for president in 1983 when a military coup d’etat overthrew President Shehu Shagari making General Muhammadu Buhari the military ruler in the second republic at a time that Nigeria was a deeply divided country along regional, religious and ethnic lines with a deep sense of dissatification that the north held higher stakes in both political and military power.
Thus, by 1993 when MKO Abiola ran for president for the second time, a majority of the people gave him their support turning out en masse to vote for him. Most media outlets and international community at the time credited his mass apeal to his civilian status despite being an ultra wealthy businessman, the promise of a non-militarized country, better economic opportunities and fairer distribution of wealth and the shift of political power from the north to the south for a change.
‘Democracy Day’ and the symbolic status of ‘June 12’
This year’s marks the fourth time Democracy Day is celebrated on June 12 since president Muhammadu Buhari changed the date from 29 May to 12 June in 2018 to honour the deceased MKO Abiola as the true winner of June 12, 1993 democratic election.
South Western states before 2018 celebrated 12 June as ‘Abiola day’ as remebrance of MKO’s struggle and the military’s power play that robbed the region of its flagbearer for the presidency in a free and fair election in 1993.
Thus, the people and leaders of the Southwest region welcomed Buhari’s declaration and the acknowledgement of MKO Abiola’s struggle for democratic rule and the feat of a man of Yoruba stock in rallying the entire nation to support his presidential bid and eventual win in the nation’s fairest and freest elections to date.
The pride of place ‘June 12’ continues to hold for the Yorubas and many Nigerians
The enamour of MKO Abiola for the Yorubas is certainly more than his enterpreneurial prowess and significant influence. More so, because June 12, 1993 to the Yorubas was an attestation to the power of the people to rally on a common course and cause without ethnic or language bias, religious leanings or creed if the candidate is deemed right and measures to their appeal in ending the blight of Nigeria’s military regime.
