The Nigerian Senate, on Thursday, asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the results of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, while also prevailing on the Federal Government to pay the entitlement of MKO Abiola and Kingibe.
The request comes one day after President Muhammadu Buhari declared June 12 to replace May 29 as Democracy Day, in honour of late MKO Abiola – the presumed winner of the election.
President Buhari had explained that June 12 was more symbolic than May 29 and also conferred a posthumous GCFR title on the late businessman.
Reacting to the declaration today, Senator Lanre Tejuoso told his colleagues that the development was commendable.
He added that it shows the spirit of reconciliation and stressed the need for the Executive and Legislative to reconcile their grievances, in the face of the recent faceoff between both arms of government.
Also speaking, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, informed the lawmakers that the constitution needs to be amended if June 12 is to be declared as Democracy Day.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, on his part, drew the attention of the Senate to the contributions and sacrifices of MKO Abiola to Nigeria’s democracy.
The Senate resolved to support the declaration of June 12 as a public holiday, although the implementation was not accurate.
Meanwhile, the Senators have asked the Federal Government to ensure that all the entitlements due to the Late MKO Abiola and Baba Gana Kingige, as president and vice president, are paid to them.
The lawmakers went past their political differences to commend the development with an additional request that both men should be honoured to the latter.
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