June 12: Nigeria’s 25-Year Democratic Journey
June 12: Nigeria’s 25-Year Democratic Journey Kudirat Abiola, M.B.O Owolowo Snr and Wole Soyinka Nigeria is on the 25th lap — silver jubilee — of its democratic journey, since the handover by the military junta in 1999. There are crucial events preceding what is now celebrated as Nigeria’s Democracy Day on June 12 that must be acknowledged for posterity. Following the free and fair June 12, 1993 presidential elections, M.K.O. Abiola was effectively president-elect. Because of Abiola’s clout and renowned philanthropy, the June 12 elections garnered international attention. When Babangida annulled the election on June 23, 1993, without any justifiable cause or reasonable explanation, the heat from his political faux pas was so intense that he had to leave office on August 26, 1993. As Babangida decided to ‘ step aside ’, he bizarrely constituted an impuissant Interim National Government headed by Ernest Shonekan. Just 83 days into the interim government, a deposition occ...