(SINL NIGERIA) The Senator representing Abia North, has canvassed for the portrait of late Chief MKO Abiola to be placed alongside those of other former leaders in the Presidential Villa.
Specifically, the former governor of Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu also called on President Bola Tinubu to officially recognize the late Abiola as one of Nigeria’s past presidents.
Kalu made this known on Tuesday while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja.
Senator Kalu was reacting to recent revelations made by former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) admitting in his recently released memoir, that Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
He said “Yes, Abiola won the election. And I will say President Tinubu should declare him a president posthumously”.
“Since Abiola won, his picture should be placed among Nigeria’s past presidents. I commend former President Buhari for giving him a national honor, but I also appeal to President Tinubu to officially recognize him and place his image where it belongs. This would help bring succor to his family”.
He however lauded the actions of former President Muhammadu Buhari for conferring a posthumous national honor on Abiola but stressed that further recognition was necessary.
He continued “I look forward to the second edition of Babangida’s book because the first did not reveal all the realities. I was present during the events of June 12, and I know what happened. Babangida should call out the names of those responsible for preventing the election declaration”.
Kalu also dismissed claims that the 1966 coup was an ethnic conspiracy, adding that the coup in question was not an Igbo coup; it was a Nigerian coup, executed by the military.”
He reiterated that “Moshood Abiola won that election, and there is no doubt about it”.
