Joseph Bakare
The Senate has on Thursday lauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to honour the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, Presidential election, Late Bashorun MKO Abiola and his running mate, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe.
At the plenary, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, commended the decision and said the honour was a well-deserved one and long overdue.
Aside supporting the announcement, some Senators who contributed urged President Buhari to take a step further by declaring June 12 a National holiday.
The Senators requested the President to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to announce the results of the election; declare the winner – late Abiola and his running-mate Amb. Kingibe as the President and Vice-President respectively and follow it up by approving the payment of their entitlements which ought to spread between June 1993 and and 1997.
Meanwhile, governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State on Thursday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for giving Chief Moshood Abiola, the highest national honour in the country.
The governor, who gave the commendation at a press conference in Ado Ekiti, said he was overwhelmed by the president’s action.
He, however, urged the president to also declare Abiola the winner of the June 12, 1993 poll.
“It is then that the highest title of GCFR conferred on him would have constitutional backing
“The honour done to late MKO Abiola by President Buhari is indeed a welcome development.
“Though we think the president might be doing all of these for political reasons, it is still a welcome development,’’ Fayose said.