Proclaim June 12 Unity Day –Fasehun

Founder and President, O'odua People's Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, has urged the Federal Government to proclaim June 12 as Unity Day in Nigeria.

He said this at a press conference held in Lagos on Tuesday to remember the symbol of June 12 struggle the late MKO Abiola and his wife, Kudirat.

Fasehun, who is also Chairman, Unity Party of Nigeria, said, "Our minds today go to the man who singularly became the symbol of the June 12 struggle, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, and his wife, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

"From the commanding heights of business and economy that he dominated like a colossus, Abiola joined Third Republic politics, to do with government resources what he had done personally with his personal funds, a mission to salvage Nigerians from poverty, ignorance and disease. He won the presidential election of June 12, 1993, the country's freest and fairest polls. But Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) put that victory in the grave.

"As the Federal Government has declared May 29 as Democracy Day, it must proclaim June 12 as Unity Day. June 12 should be Unity Day because on that day, all the constituent units of Nigeria spoke with near-unanimity and elected Abiola as their President. June 12 is the truest mark of Nigeria's unity and we cannot afford to lose its significance."

He said June 12 gave birth to May 29, stressing that without the concerted struggle of pro-democrats for the actualisation of June 12, Babangida would have converted to civilian President, so would late Gen. Sani Abacha.

He said if those two generals had succeeded in perpetuating themselves in office, it would have led to the extension of Military rule but the intensity and internationalizing of the June 12 struggle by democratic elements finally culminated in the termination of Military rule on May 29, 1999.

Fasheun therefore urged President Jonathan to immediately work out a comprehensive compensation plan for Nigerians who died in the struggle for democracy.

He also demanded that government should expand the scope of the current compensation plan to include victims of June 12.

The O'odua leader restated the call for the convening of Sovereign National Conference, saying that it was key to the nation's socio-economic development.