June 12: Lagos Speaker Commends Buhari, Greets Tinubu, Others For Their Commitment To Its Ideals

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly and Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for having the political will to declare June 12, Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

He also commended the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who during his reign initiated the idea of making June 12, the real Democracy Day; as well as other southwest governors, past and present who followed in his footsteps.

Rt Hon Obasa’s message was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in commemoration of the new Democracy Day coming up on Wednesday 12 June.

“We have to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for having the political will to right the wrong and for going ahead to sign the Bill passed by the National Assembly on the matter into Law. It shows the courage and commitment of a man who is hell bent on correcting the ills of the past.

“Going forward, we should also not fail to recognize and commend the pioneering efforts of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was the first Governor to declare June 12 Democracy Day in the history of Nigeria. After his historic declaration, other southwest governors followed in his footsteps. We should therefore salute and commend their courage,” he said.

Rt Hon Obasa also commented on those who lost their lives and properties during the struggle for the actualisation of the June 12 mandate describing them as Demcracy Heroes. “We should also spare our thought for the Matyrs of Nigerian Democracy: Chief Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola and his wife, Kudirat who lost their lives during the struggle,”he said.

The Lagos Assembly Speaker however stated that the ideal of June 12 lies not only in declaring it Democracy Day but the lesson learnt therein. “That election was a historic one: where millions of Nigerians voted in a peaceful atmosphere for one man. The struggle to actualise the election results and mandate was a clear indication that the Nigerian people will always fight for their right and struggle to defend what is right,” Rt Hon Obasa noted.

He stated further that, “on behalf of my colleagues in the Lagos State House of Assembly, I salute Nigerians on this historic celebration and wish them more of such”.