Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said that it is not enough to declare June 12, Democracy Day.
Atiku said this in a statement on Wednesday in commemoration of the inaugural June 12 Democracy Day.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on June 6 posthumously awarded the man which June 12 revolves around, Moshood Abiola, with Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), an honour reserved only for presidents.
Abiola won the 1993 presidential election which was annulled by former military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida.
In the statement, Atiku said it is not enough to declare June 12 a Democracy Day if the government of the day still goes against the rule of law.
“It is not enough to declare June 12 a Democracy Day when the government of the day is disrespectful of the rule of law and wantonly disregards court orders on issues that border on fundamental human rights.
“It is not enough to declare June 12 a work-free day when a disproportionate number of citizens are not sure of where their next meal will come from and when the sanctity of their lives is not guaranteed.
“It is not enough to declare June 12 a work-free day when freedom of the press, and of speech, fundamentals of democracy is being assailed,” Atiku said.
The former number two citizen said because he had a relationship with the June 12 icon, he knew that Abiola did not deceive Nigerians with ‘hope’ he had promised before the election was annulled.
