Press Releases

Fashola Calls For Manifest Justice At The Election Tribunals
• As Progressive celebrate 18th Anniversary of June 12

Jun 12, 2011 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Sunday called for manifest justice at the various election tribunals across the country to ensure that all reported cases of electoral offences are vigorously prosecuted.

Governor Fashola spoke at the LTV Blue Roof Multi-purpose Hall venue of this year's anniversary of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election acclaimed to have been won by the late business mogul, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO).

Addressing hundreds of June 12 advocates made up of some living heroes of the June 12 struggle, NADECO Chieftains, Human Rights Activists, Civil Society groups and organizations as well as students' associations, Governor Fashola declared, "We must move from here to see not only that justice is done patently and manifestly at the election tribunals, our law enforcement agencies must work with other organs of Government to ensure that all reported cases of elections malfeasance, misfeasance or howsoever described, are thoroughly investigated and vigorously prosecuted".

Stressing that the work of delivering true and functional democracy in the country is still far from being won, Governor Fashola recalled the violence that followed the last elections saying the resultant death of hundreds of people, including10 young National Youth Service Corps members serving as support staff to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was an unacceptable price to pay for democracy.

"The evidence of work yet to be done is manifested in the mindless orgy of violence that followed the recently concluded general elections. Those elections exacted a price that was too much for our country. They claimed the lives of 10 (ten) known young persons, who were serving their country; and many others who have not been so prominently identified. That was not the kind of freedom, choice and promise that the 1993 elections were supposed to deliver. This is sour in the extreme", Governor Fashola said.

According to the Governor,"If elections are meant to secure the future and our prosperity, it is not right that they should be delivered at the cost of the lives of the youth who represent that future, or indeed at the cost of any human life. Our work therefore is far from over".

He paid glowing tribute to late Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, his late wife Kudirat, Alfred Rewane, Abraham Adesanya, Chima Ubani, Gani Fawehinmi and all those who played active roles in the struggle to actualize the June 12 mandate, saying that without their sacrifice "we may still be in the trenches".

"It is to them that this day is dedicated; a day to salute their courage and selflessness; a day to honour them and to keep the flame of hope alive; a day to remind those of us who hold public office that we are trustees of legacies of hope created by the sacrifices of others" he said.

Noting that democracy is all about freedom of choice, Governor Fashola declared, "Freedom and choice are powerful ideas whose pursuit has changed the course of human history dramatically. June 12, 1993 election has become historic and memorable not because it produced the expected results, but because its sabotage produced a reaction that the saboteurs did not contemplate. It produced a platform for the expression of the need for change, a better life, true democracy and responsible governance by millions of Nigerians'.

"This day also calls upon us to remember the heroes who are living, to honour and cherish their leadership as testimonies and inspiration to others that the true freedoms and choices have not been achieved and that there remains work yet to be done, and new heroes yet to emerge", Governor Fashola said.

In his lecture titled "Sustaining Democratic Values; the Nigerian Experience, the Guest Lecturer, Hon. Olawale Oshun, said in terms of ite core issues and values, Nigeria was yet to attain true democracy. These issues, according to him, include the issues of unity, right to life and right to justice.

"I will argue that 'unity' of our country or any other country for that matter, can only be achieved on the basis of visible democratic practices", Oshun said adding that unity founded on tyranny and autocracy often works in reverse against the set purposes of the tyrannical or autocratic government.

He called for the urgent convocation of a Sovereign National Conference as the only means to sustain the unity of the country pointing out that the various ethnic nationalities were currently putting finishing touches to the constitutions they would operate in the case of the disintegration of the country.

Paying glowing tribute to late Bashorun MKO Abiola, the Guest Lecturer declared, "Nigeria's democratic experience has shown that it is possible to sustain democratic values when leaders are driven to work in the interest of the people. Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola sought to work for the interest of Nigerians but was denied the opportunity when his election was annulled on June 12, 1993".

Oshun also praised the Lagos State Governor "for the luminous light he holds aloft", his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu "his fore-runner" and Chief Bisi Akande "whose dignity and firmness has kept our party, the Action Congress of Nigeria and the governments it controls on the right keel".

Also speaking, Chairman of the occasion, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kalu (Rtd.) also called for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference "to reconstruct Nigeria" adding that the only body that can do it is one that has "sovereign constituent powers".

Other discussants at the occasion, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, Tony Nnaji, and Comrade Omojola, all June 12 activists, also agreed that the only way to sustain the unity of Nigeria is the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Reverend Tunji Adebiyi, recalled the bitter struggles that resulted from the annulment of the June 12 Presidential Election, lamenting that despite the attainment of democracy, the challenges of nationhood such as corruption, unitary system, poverty, rigging, political intolerance, assassinations and armed robbery, still dog the nation.

Also present at the occasion were the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Victoria Orelope-Adefulire, former Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, human rights and June 12 activists as well as civil society and women organizations.