Democracy Day: We fashioned our development agenda after Abiola’s Hope 93 – Gov. Abiodun

DEMOCRACY DAY

Press Release

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, says the “Building our Future Together” Agenda of his administration, is to identify with the dreams and vision of Chief M. K.O Abiola’s HOPE 93 campaign message.

Prince Abiodun stated this in his address to mark this year’s June 12 Anniversary in Abeokuta, describing the late Abiola as a man who was concerned not only with the development of the country, but the well-being of the people.

“We are proud to identify with the dreams and vision encapsulated in ‘HOPE 93’; this also provided the compass to fashion our Building our Future Together Agenda, to rekindle hope in the people of our dear State.

“I believe that the best way to immortalize the late M.K.O Abiola is to ensure that the ideals that he lived and fought for, continue to live after him. We must continue to propagate the evolution of democratic ideals and principles for the future development of NIgeria as a nation.

The Governor said his government was following the narrative of Abiola’s HOPE 93 in the area of education, agriculture, poverty alleviation, affordable healthcare, provision of infrastructure and good governance.

“This form the bases for our administration’s unalloyed commitment to inclusiveness, openness, transparency, accountability, fairness, justice, equity, and obedience to the role of law. We believe this will in turn engender more confidence from our people to the continued development of our dear State, he noted.

Prince Abiodun contended that the late acclaimed winner of June 12 election was the first presidential candidate to tour the entire nation and had dreamt of using the nation’s wealth to cater for the people and move the country towards the path of prosperity, where poverty would be banished.

According to him, Chief Abiola remains the iconic reference for and symbol of “one Nigeria and the closest to democracy”, noting that the nation would have moved from its third world country status to the first world like Singapore, if MKO had assumed leadership.

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The Governor described June 12 as the day when all NIgerians, irrespective of tongue and tribe, spoke in one voice by voting for progress and change, in a manner that had never been witnessed in the history of the nation. He likened its significant to October 1, 1960, when Nigeria got her independence.

Prince Abiodun said this year’s celebration would have been a grand one , but for the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that it was still imperative to mark the day in recognition of the late philanthropist’s sacrifice which paved the way for the democracy that NIgerians are now enjoying.

He thanked the President for conferring the highest homour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic on Chief Abiola to correct the injustice done to him and for addressing it as a pre- requisite for peace and unity.

“We consider this honour as part of the healing and reconciliation” which should be a natural “apology from our leaders to us”, he said.

He called on NIgerians to reflect on the unquantifiable selfless sacrifice and contributions of M.K.O Abiola to the development of the nation, saying, “only real democracy can move our nation forward towards progress and earn her the respect she deserves from the international community”.

*Kunle Somorin is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun