IMPRESSED with their overwhelming support and solidarity over the declaration of June 12 as the new Democracy Day and the conferment of the nation\’s highest honours on the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, his running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe and the iconic human rights lawyer and crusader, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the presidency has thanked all Nigerians.
It gave the commendation in a writing by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, on Sunday, entitled: “June 12 Tsunami and the Ones Who Won’t Forgive Buhari.”
it particularly acknowledged the support of some “unrepentant” critics of the Buhari administration, including a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani Kayode, who lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for taking such a historic decision.
The President had on Wednesday declared June 12 as Democracy Day and the conferment of national honours on Abiola; Kingibe; and foremost pro-democracy activist, Gani.
It said: “Barely after 48 hours by my count, there were over 150,000 tweets on Twitter Trend discussing the new presidential directive. Thankfully and expectedly, over 80 per cent of these tweets and reactions hailed Mr. President’s decision.
“In what could be described as a twist, many of such applauses came from well-known opposition voices like Femi Fani Kayode (@realffk) amongst others.
“The story on Facebook was not an exception. Nigerians were thankful to President Buhari for upholding democracy and staging a surprise when it was least expected.”
It however, observed that those “very vocal section of the country’s elite” who inspired and supported in spirit the June 12 annulment might intensify their attacks against the President’s popular and widely accepted decision to officially recognise June 12 as new Democracy Day.
