Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission which conducted the June 12, 1993 presidential election said he will not be able to attend the investiture ceremony of the late MKO Abiola, the winner of that election with the highest Nigerian honour of Tuesday.
Nwosu is one of the key actors in the annulled June 12 presidential saga invited to witness a ceremony where the presumed winner of the election will be honoured on Tuesday.
But Nwosu who said he cannot honour the invitation as he is presently outside the country commended President Muhammadu Buhari for recognising June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day and for honouring the memory of Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 election.
In a letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Mr Nwosu said the conferment of national honours on Abiola and his running mate, Babagana Kingibe, “will rekindle the national consciousness of all Nigerians for a better nation.”
The letter reads: “I thank His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government of Nigeria for recognising June 12 as Democracy Day and also honouring the winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.
“Indeed, June 12, 1993 marked a turning point in Nigeria’s tortuous journey towards a democratic polity. It is an honour to the very hard-working men and women of the defunct National Electoral Commission under my leadership at this long-awaited recognition. I humbly commend this action by the President.
“Undoubtedly, the democratic system of governance is the best especially for the multi ethnic nation like ours. I thank you for building on the foundation which my team and I labored strenuously to establish and actualize on June 12, 1993. It is our hope that expanding the frontiers of democracy of which all the people of Nigeria, regardless of ethnic group, will provide economic, social and developmental benefits that will certainly make Nigeria a great nation not only in Africa but across the world.
“Certainly, the scheduled event on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 will rekindle the national consciousness of all Nigerians for a better Nation. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control I will not be present at the investiture ceremony as I am outside the country,” he wrote in the letter released on behalf of the SGF by Lawrence Ojabo, the Director of Information of the office.