On
Wednesday, 6th June 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari boldly and
proudly tendered a historic proclamation to the greatest surprise of most
Nigerians. He informed the general public that, henceforth, June 12 every year shall
be recognized as Democracy Day as against the already existing May 29.
The
unannounced decision was reportedly informed by the notion that June 12, which
was the day the most credible election in the history of Nigeria that would
have enthroned Chief Moshood Abiola – now of the blessed memory – as the second
democratically elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, took place
to the delight of the teeming citizenry.
The
president further clarified that since the Democracy Day for the year 2018 had
already been marked, the newly approved commemoration would take effect from
the subsequent years, commencing from 2019. In addition, the message notified
that the new democracy day, which would automatically replace May 29, would be
observed as a national public holiday.
Mr.
President equally informed the citizens that in view of the declaration, the
government had decided to award posthumously the highest honour of the land,
GCFR to the late Chief Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993
annulled elections. Similarly, his running mate, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe
would be invested with a GCON award.
He
also stated that the “tireless fighter for human rights and democracy in general”
late Chief Gani Fawehinmi would equally receive posthumously a GCON award. It’s
noteworthy that the event for the investiture, which was scheduled for 12th
June 2018, had successfully been conducted.
While Nigerians in some quarters were
jubilating over the president’s unexpected avowal, some others were bitter that
the procedure followed was ill-advised. Based on their view, the president’s
decision was necessitated by the fact that the country’s general elections were
fast approaching, hence was only targeted to achieve cheap political goals.
Some Nigerians who had also criticized
the gesture opined that it was a way of reviving the president’s popularity,
which was allegedly on the decline, in the South-Western part of the country.
According to their argument, Pres. Buhari was gradually losing his political
significance in the said geopolitical zone, thus thought it wise to employ such
an avenue towards reclaiming the ostensibly lost glory.
As most Nigerians are baffled about the
politics and timing surrounding the declaration, I’m only much concerned about
the due process that was neglected while such a sensitive decision was taken.
I’m saddened that it never occurred to the Presidency that a constitutional
matter was in question, hence the need not to overlook the lawmaking ambit of
the government.
I wonder why Mr. President would think that
the existing Democracy Day invariably commemorated on May 29 as recognized by
the Nigeria’s Public Holidays' Act would easily be written off by
merely dishing out a statement from the country’s Seat of Power. I wonder why
it didn’t occur to His Excellency that he would have started his consultations
from the revered legislators before making his lofty intention public.
Though the president unarguably has a
constitutional power to proclaim any day as public holiday, he doesn’t possess
the right to write off any clause enshrined in the Constitution at the comfort
of his home. So, as we applaud him for having considered making Chief Abiola’s
soul to eventually rest in peace, it’s paradoxical to realize that the man who
had acted like a true advocate of democracy didn’t take into cognizance the
real essence of due process.
Besides, rather than annulling the
widely accepted May 29, the June 12 can be recognized as something else. It can
be called Electoral Reform Day because that was the day the country’s electoral
process witnessed an obvious reformation, or even Abiola Day.
More so, I pondered on the president’s refusal
to include the brain behind the success story of the June 12 elections, Prof.
Humphrey Nwosu in the list of those that deserved the national award,
particularly the GCON, especially now he’s still alive. Or, should we wait
until he is dead?
Another controversy trailing the
proclamation was that it was in conflict with the Act binding the National
Honours. The Act stipulates that the honour shall be bestowed on only the
citizens of Nigeria. So, the question was if Chief Abiola, who is now late, is
still the citizen of the country.
If
truly that someone was deprived of a certain honour when he/she was alive, I
see nothing wrong carrying out the investiture in retrospect whether the recipient
is dead or alive. Hence, from my view, this very case didn’t require the
legislature to amend that particular clause before we could correct our past
mistakes. The question we ought to rather be asking is; did the supposed
recipient really deserve the honour while alive?
Meanwhile, as we celebrate Chief Abiola in
grave, I equally await a day he would be declared as one-time Nigerian
President since the award granted to his person is only reserved for those who
must have served, or still serving, the country as president. Think about it!
FDN Nwaozor
National Coordinator,
Right Thinkers Movement
__________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
Twitter: @mediambassador
No comments:
Post a Comment