The Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadan-land and Gubernatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9, 2019 election in Oyo State, Chief Abdul-Waheed Adebayo Adelabu has felicitated with Nigerians, particularly the good people of Oyo State on the inaugural commemoration of June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria.
Adelabu sent the felicitation today to mark the official recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day with an imprimatur of a Public Holiday in Nigeria.
It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had last year June declared the day as a Public Holiday with the National Assembly granting the declaration a statutory seal.
The APC Gubernatorial Candidate in Oyo State noted that the culmination of June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria was as a result of the supreme sacrifice paid by Chief M.K.O. Abiola and other heroes and heroines of democracy in their efforts towards the actualisation of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election.
While calling on all Nigerians, particularly the good people of Oyo State to continually guard the present democracy, which according to him has come to stay in Nigeria, Chief Adelabu stated that on his part, he would, as he has always done, consistently contribute to the deepening of democracy by deploying all his God-given resources and intellect towards the economic wellbeing and welfare of the people of Oyo State.
“The democracy which we enjoy today was never achieved on a platter of gold but through the resilience, sacrifice and even the supreme sacrifice of the life of some heroes and heroines that include Late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Late Chief Alfred Rewane, Late Mrs. Kudirat Abiola and other living legends like Mr. Femi Falana, Mrs. Okei Odumakin, Mallam Balarabe Musa e.t.c. who stood at the barricades to ensure that true democracy berths in our country. I therefore call on all Nigerians, particularly my good people of Oyo State to continue to guard jealously our democracy.
“On my part, I will continue to play key roles in ensuring that my people throughout the length and breadth of our dear Pacesetter State enjoy dividends of democracy through my God-given resources and intellect,” Chief Adelabu said.
The Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadan equally thanked President Buhari for finding the courage to recognise and honour Late Chief M.K.O. Abiola as the symbol of Nigerian democracy despite the fact that successive past governments in Nigeria have always shied away from giving him and the epoch making day of June 12, 1993 the honour they rightly deserve in the annals of Nigerian politics.
He also congratulated the families of Chief Abiola and all those who lost their lives in the effort to enthrone this nascent democracy that their loved ones did not die in vain.
Chief Adelabu while urging his numerous supporters and well wishers to keep hope alive equally assured Nigerians of good governance through individual and corporate prosperity as the President Buhari-led Federal Government gets into its second term.
