Ebun Francis|
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of using the name of late Moshood Abiola, presumed winner of 1993 presidential election, to gain “political capital”.
The opposition party was reacting to Wednesday’s posthumous conferment of the award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) to the late politician, 20 years after his death.
Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesman of the PDP, in a statement said Buhari’s action, “smacks of hypocrisy and political desperation ahead of 2019 presidential election”.
The statement read, “President Buhari’s action merely sought to use the name and person of Chief Abiola to gain a political capital and not out of genuine reverence and recognition for him. The party recalls that President Buhari, who was serving in the military administration of General Sani Abacha during the travails of Chief MKO Abiola, did not associate either by words or actions with the late winner of June 12 election.”
“History did not record President Buhari as sympathetic to the Abiola’s family when his wife, Kudirat, was gruesomely murdered by the agents of a government which president Buhari served.
“It is, therefore, a sign of political desperation for President Buhari to seek to use Chief Abiola’s name as a tool to sway Nigerians in less than twelve months to an election where he is seeking a second term.”
“It is also shocking that the respectable grave of Abiola can be dishonoured by granting a posthumous award on him along with someone who denounced the June 12 mandate and preferred the company of his (Abiola’s) traducers. Even those who now masquerade as change agents were opposed to the naming of University of Lagos after Chief Abiola.
“If President Buhari genuinely wants to honour chief Abiola, he should do so by ending all anti-democratic proclivities of his administration and allow for the rule of law and respect for our constitution, the statement noted.”