PMB and Abiola’s immortalization (Opinion)

By: Dr Adakole Friday Elijah

Much have been said about the immortalization of “President M.K.O Abiola” by PMB June 12, 2019. This immortalization came exactly 20 years after the annulment of an election adjudged the freest and fairest in the the annal of electoral history in Nigeria. This was because the election was beyond boundary – Tribal, Sectional, Regional and Religious.

Despite this, the “jackboot boys” went ahead and not only annulling the election but got the winner incarcerated. He later paid the ultimate price for daring to fight to reclaim his mandate.

Yes, it is good that “President MKO is being recognized and properly situated in the history of Nigeria especially that this recognition is veering via a former Kaki boy. Few years ago, President Buhari conferred on Abiola the highest title of the land – GCFR and now renaming of the National Stadium after this great personage.

I love this gesture as it is just right and correct. But I would have love a more solid gesture than this fragile gestures. I expect PMB to concretize this immortalization by doing it correctly. This is because an unfriendly government can reverse the renaming of the stadium or even withdraw the title.

If I were PMB, I will first of all invite Professor Humphrey Nwosu to make the result of that election public. In that case there would be no further ambiguity surrounding the validity of MKO Abiola as the winner.

After the declaration, MKO Abiola and his running mate should be inducted into the college of past Presidents and Vice Presidents respectively and all salaries and emoluments entitled to them paid and a bill should be sent to the National Assembly to this effect.

Until this is done, I am in agreement with former President Jonathan Goodluck that PMB and his government are just merely shopping for cheap popularity.

Adakole Elijah writes from Otukpo, Benue State.