As Nigerians observed Democracy Day known as June 12, the Imo State Chairman of Social Democratic Party, SDP, Ambs. Dr. Eluwa Ifeanyi Henry, has stated that the country celebrated MKO Abiola, who won the Presidential Election of June 1993, the first democratic poll held in the country after the 1983 military coup, under the platform of SDP, his wife, Kudirat Abiola, Social Justice, Good Governance and Social Democratic Party.
Eluwa reflected that MKO Abiola was denied the Presidential Mandate in an election that was widely adjudged as the freest and most credible in Nigeria political history having won with large margin.
He hinted that Abiola was imprisoned by the then military junta and subsequently died in detention after the assassination of his wife, Kudirat Abiola.
In an interview in his office in Owerri on Wednesday, Eluwa pointed out that since MKO Abiola, a duly democratically elected President, was denied the Presidential Mandate, Nigeria has not been well in terms of fair and true democracy and good leadership.
He stressed that until SDP is allowed to produce Nigeria President in 2027, democratic imbalance would not be rectified.
“To appease the soul of MKO”, Eluwa observed, “SDP should be allowed to produce President of Nigeria in 2027. Abiola died because he was a human being who wanted true democracy for Nigeria, but SDP is an entity, still waxing strongly to actualize the vision and dream of MKO in redeeming Nigeria. Nigeria is celebrating MKO, SDP, Social Justice and Good Governance”.
The SDP State Chairman added that “if Nigeria wants election that is truly peaceful, full of integrity, citizens ought to abide by the Ideologies of SDP. It is regrettably bad that election in Nigeria is always marred by fraud, irregularities, killings, abduction and denial of justice and such a political process can never produce a stable, successful government”.
“I, Ambs. Dr. Eluwa Ifeanyi Henry, Imo State Chairman of SDP, with the Leader of the party in Imo State, Obinna Bright Ekwebelem and all the Imo Executive of SDP are celebrating our National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam and those who died in pursuit of good governance on June 12, Nigeria at large, with Imo people and all persons who yearn for Good Governance in Imo State”, he posited.
Eluwa remarked that “SDP is giving President Ahmed Bola Tinubu a thumb up for upholding June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria”, even as he called on citizens to embrace SDP for positive change of politics and governance.
“I am using this medium to appeal to the federal government (Ministry of Education) to reintroduce History Studies in our schools, because without History most of us would not have known what happened at June 12 which we are celebrating as democracy day.
“I am seeing Nigerians coming together in love, truth and honest by rejoining SDP. One thing we must not forget is that History has made it that whoever embraces SDP with clean hart and love must win election”, he emphasized.
Eluwa noted “the first democratically elected President of Nigeria was at the platform of SDP.
In South East, the first democratically elected Governor of Anambra State was SDP. In Anambra, late Ania Okonkwo was elected senator under SDP, in the North and South SDP is well accepted”.
