The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Candidate for Ondo East/ Ondo West Federal Constituency in the next election, Hon Eric Oluwole has felicitated with Nigerians on the occasion of the Commemoration of the nation’s Democracy Day.
In a goodwill message he signed, he prayed that the country will march forward in the quest to build a nation that will take adequate care of the citizenry.
Oluwole, a chieftain of Afenifere, the arrowhead of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, which gallantly fought the military dictatorship for the restoration of democracy, which Nigeria enjoys today, praised all the pro-democracy activists, dead or alive, for their commendable sacrifices that culminated into the prevailing democratic dispensation.
He particularly, paid glowing tributes to the memory of the winner of the 1993 Presidential election, Nigeria’s most credible election ever conducted, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.
The 1993 election, the freest and fairest ever in the annals of Nigeria’s history, in which enthusiastic Nigerians across the country, irrespective of ethnic, or religious backgrounds united in their resolve, and unanimously voted to voluntarily choose their President in a hitch-free election which has become the benchmark for Nigeria’s democracy, was however annulled by the military regime, headed by Gen Ibrahim Babangida.
This threw the nation into a protracted and bloody pro-democracy struggles for the restoration of Abiola’s democratic mandate.
In the process, Abiola was arrested and detained by the Gen Sami Abacha’s military dictatorship. He eventually died in detention under controversial circumstances.
Eventually, the military administration headed by Gen Abdulsalami Abubalar, organised a transition programme, conducted a democratic election, demilitarised, and handed power over to a civilian administration headed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999.
In honour of Abiola’s sacrifice, peaked by his laying down his life in detention in his struggles for the restoration of Democracy, Nigerians unanimously chose December 12 every year being celebrated today as Democracy Day.
Oluwole noted the immense patriotic contributions of pro-democracy activists, many of who were either killed of forced into exile.
Also he commended all Nigeriams for their sacrifices during the stalemate, and for steadfastly standing with the activists in the tortuous and bloody struggles to restore democracy.
Oluwole called on the government at all levels to continuously work to refine and develop democracy further to the heights, in honour of the patriots who paid the supreme price with their lives for the restoration of Democracy being enjoyed by Nigeria’s today.
He urged the administration of President Bola Tinubu, who himself as a pro-democracy activists, fled into exile through the NADECO route from the persecution of the military dictatorship during the struggles, to ensure that the sacrifices of his compatriots dead or alive, are not in vain, and leave a legacy of an exemplary democratic leadership for the coming generations of leaders to emulate.
