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President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the immediate gazetting of the Presidential order
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu,
said the President directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami to take immediate steps to publish the Presidential Order in the Federal Gazette
According to the statement, MKO Abiola is conferred with the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (Posthumous), Baba Gana Kingibe – Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, while Gani Fawehinmi is honoured with Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (Posthumous)
The President also directed that this should be done so that the awards slated for June 12, 2018 can go on as planned.
The gazetting is expected to give legal teeth to the declaration.
President Buhari had Wednesday directed that 12 June of every year will now be marked as the nation’s Democracy Day, thus jettisoning the May 29 Democracy Day, initiated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 1999.
May 29 had earlier been adopted as Democracy Day, following the handing over power to the then elected civilian government, by Abdulsalami Abubakar, the then Nigeria military head of state.
In the letter the President personally signed on Wednesday, Buhari had given posthumous award of GCFR on Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12 1993 Presidential election, .
In the same vein, Abiola’s running mate in that election, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, was conferred with the second highest honor of the Grand Commander of the Niger, GCON.
Late human rights activist and friend of the masses, Gani Fawehimi was also honoured with a post humous award of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger( GCON).
The President also announced that the investiture will take place on Tuesday June 12th, 2018, a date which in future years will replace May 29th as a National Public Holiday in celebration of Nigeria Democracy Day.
The decision has been widely acclaimed by Nigerians from all walks of life as one of the best taken to enthrone populist democratic culture in Nigeria
Despite the widespread applause however, many also see the move as having political undertones done to curry favour from a section of the country.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
