Why June 12 recognition will immortalize Buhari – MURIC
“President Muhammadu Buhari is the hero of the moment. He deserves accolades for coming out boldly to do what several regimes lacked the guts to do. Buhari is a genuine democrat, a patriot nulli secundus and a statesman primus inter pareil.”
President Muhammadu Buhari this week signed the June 12 bill into law, thus making it Nigeria’s official Democracy Day.
The signing of the bill also has the effect of rendering May 29 redundant in the annals of the history of democracy in Nigeria.
Meanwhile the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has applauded President Buhari for making the recognition of June 12 a fait accompli.
In a statement issued by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola and sent to The DEFENDER on Wednesday 12th June, 2019, MURIC hailed Buhari for coming out boldly in support of truth, justice and fair play.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is the hero of the moment. He deserves accolades for coming out boldly to do what several regimes lacked the guts to do. Buhari is a genuine democrat, a patriot nulli secundus and a statesman primus inter pareil.
“As for May 29, it is good riddance to the bad rubbish that was fraudulently contrived as democracy day. That date had never truly reflected the spirit of nationalism in this country and it had never been accepted by true democrats and June 12 activists North and South of Nigeria.
“June 12, 1993 election which was won by Chief Moshood Kashimowo Abiola (MKO) was by far the fairest, most peaceful and most democratic election held in Nigeria to date. Its annulment by the Babangida regime was criminal, myopic and counter-productive while the incarceration of MKO and his eventual assassination were the heights of tyranny. But the military dictator, Gen. Sanni Abacha (rtd), out-heroded Herod by masterminding the killing of MKO’s wife, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, while the husband was still in captivity.
“It is these acts of totalitarian tyranny and extreme inhumanity which make Buhari’s act of benevolence stand out and characterized his administration with a real human face and an embodiment of good governance. It must be noted that successive administrations have ignored all appeals to recognize this momentous Day, including those who benefited most from the June 12 struggle.
“That is why Nigerians have given all civilian regimes since 1999 a thumbs-down except the Buhari administration. This also explains why Afenifere has become irrelevant in the political architecture in the South West. The Yorubas have discovered that they have benefited nothing from Afeniferisation which has come to mean retrogression, negativism and parochialism.
“For who could have thought that succor and honour would come to the Yoruba nation from the least expected source, a Fulani man, a ‘Jibril from Sudan’ as President Buhari was mischievously described after his amazing recovery from his mysterious illness? We do not need to tell the Yoruba race what to do since to whom much is given, much also is expected.
“This singular act, i.e. Buhari’s recognition of June 12, also proves that criminality or righteousness is not the monopoly of any single tribe in Nigeria. As we have the Evans in kidnapping, the Oyenusi’s in armed robbery and the Shekaus in Bokoharamism, so do we have the Buhari’s in good governance, the Oloyedes in transparency and the Tony Elumelus in business acumen. We should therefore desist from ethnic and religious profiling. Fulanisation, Islamisation, Afeniferisation and Biafrisation exist only in nomenclature. They are mere figments of imagination coined by mischievous subjects, unscrupulous elements and enemies of progress.
“The most important lesson in the June 12 affair lies in its font et origo in 1993 and its resurrection in 2018/2019. Unlike the current situation where Nigerians surrender themselves to gymnastic religiousity and ethnic bigotry, June 12 by origin symptomized Nigeria’s unity in diversity as Nigerians sank ethnic and religious bias to vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket. But destiny has again brought Nigerians together in 2018/2019 as a Northerner and Fulani man excavated a seemingly dead June 12 and breathed life into it.
“MURIC charges Nigerians to seize this unique opportunity to sink all prejudices. By proclaiming June 12 as our Democracy Day, President Muhammadu Buhari has brought hope of survival to the Nigerian project. This singular action is a sign of good things ahead particularly for groups who still feel marginalized. Buhari knows where it pinches and he will address all grievances.
“It therefore behoves every Nigerian citizen to cooperate with the Buhari administration. We advise aggrieved groups to adopt dialogue and eschew violence. Our voices are being heard. The fact that Buhari ignored powerful enemies of June 12 to give the latter recognition means that we have a leader who is prepared to damn the consequences in the quest for justice. All we need to do is to remain peaceful, law-abiding, hardworking and prayerful.
“As a parting shot, we remind Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari is gradually and steadily laying the solid foundation for a cohesive, virile and united Nigeria. Posterity will no doubt remember him as the Father of Modern Nigeria. We urge politicians to halt unhealthy politicking and to think Nigeria first. We call upon Nigerians to shun ethnic jingoism and religious particularism,” MURIC said.
