18
years after the demise of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993
presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, members of National
Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and pro-democracy activists yesterday called on
the Federal Government to immortalise Abiola for paying the supreme price for the
country’s democracy.
Abiola,
after four years’ incarceration by government for fighting for actualisation of
his mandate, allegedly died on July 7, 1998, as a result of cardiac arrest.
Speaking
during 18 years remembrance organised by Women Arise and Kudirat Initiative for
Democracy (KIND) at Abiola’s graveside at his residence in Lagos, the Leader of
NADECO, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd), urged Nigerians to be united the way they
were united for Abiola during the June 12 election.
“For
a country who wanted to become a nation-state, unity is not geography. It
starts from sense of belonging of different people there. And it was the sense
of belonging that brought the unity that produced MKO Abiola because people
voted for him from all corners of the country.
“Today,
we are having a situation where people have less sense of belonging. Our unity
is not to do MKO any favour but if we want a nation-state Nigeria, we must go
back and do justice.
If we don’t; there is no running away from it. All those
who work against injustice in any shape or form must know that if our country
does not become a nation-state, they caused it,” he said.
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Politics