At least five persons were “shot dead” on Monday morning at the gate of Kogi State Polytechnic, where Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the senate, was holding a protest against the state government.

Witnesses say the protest, which started around 11am, turned bloody when some unknown gunmen invaded the venue of protest.

The gunmen were said to have stormed the venue of the protest, brandishing guns of different types and cutlasses.

“They fired shots into different directions and people, including journalists who were at hands to cover the protest, scampered for safety,” said a witness who did not want to be named.

Another witness said it took the army and the state commissioner of police almost an hour into the shooting before they could arrive, even as five persons received gun shots with a vehicle caught in flame as well.

Melaye and Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi State, have been embroiled in political tussle, the latter accusing the former of poor performance in office.

Yemi Osinbajo, Acting President, has approved the appointment of Ismaeel Ahmed as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment Programmes.

The appointment was announced on Twitter on Monday by Bashir Ahmad, Personal Assistant to the President on New Media.

Acting President, Prof Osinbajo approves the appointment of Barr. @IsmaeelAhmedB as SSA to the President on Social Investment Programmes. pic.twitter.com/QDXCez1x44

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) June 12, 2017

Ismaeel confirmed the appointment, tweeting: “I personally thank President @MBuhari and Acting President @ProfOsinbajo on this appointment… Its a very good one.. God Bless Nigeria.”

I personally thank President @MBuhari and Acting President @ProfOsinbajo on this appointment… Its a very good one.. God Bless Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/tQ9exMFfAD

— Mr. JAG® (@jag_bros) June 12, 2017

The SIP has four constituents, namely the N-Power Scheme, which is the job programme for unemployed graduates; Government Enterprises Entrepreneurship Programme (GEEP), designed for the empowerment of market women, traders, artisans; the Home Grown School Feeding (HGSFP) and the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).

On this day 23 years ago, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, delivered the speech that ultimately led to his arrest, incarceration and death.

Frustrated by one full year (less just a day) of futile attempts to reclaim his mandate that was invalidated by military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, Abiola proclaimed himself the President and Commander-in-Chief’ of the Federal republic of Nigeria and proclaimed “a new Government of National Unity”.

He also “reconvened” the National Assembly, “reinstated” all dismissed governors, and “reconstituted” the state assemblies and local government councils.

After the speech, Sani Abacha, the military head of state, declared him wanted for treason and ordered his arrest. He was incarcerated for four years and died on July 7, 1998 — the day he was to be freed.

Fondly described as the ‘Epetedo Proclamation’ — having been delivered in Epetedo, Lagos Island — the speech is reproduced below to offer the younger generation an insight into the thoughts of a man described by one of his sons as “the president who never ruled”.

THE SPEECH IN FULL

People of Nigeria, exactly one year ago, you turned out in your millions to vote for me, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But politicians in uniform, who call themselves soldiers but are more devious than any civilian would want to be, deprived you of your God-given right to be ruled by the President you had yourselves elected.

These soldier-politicians introduced into our body politic, a concept hitherto unknown to our political lexicography, something strangely called the “annulment” of an election perceived by all to have been the fairest, cleanest and most peaceful ever held in our nation.

Since that abominable act of naked political armed robbery occurred, I have been constantly urged by people of goodwill, both in Nigeria and abroad, to put the matter back into the people’s hands and get them to actualise the mandate they gave me at the polls. But mindful of the need to ensure that peace continues to reign in our fragile federation, I have so far tried to pursue sweet reason and negotiation.

My hope has always been to arouse whatever remnants of patriotism are left in the hearts of these thieves of your mandate, and to persuade them that they should not allow their personal desire to rule to usher our beloved country into an era of political instability and economic ruin.

All I have sought to do, in seeking dialogue with them, has been to try and get them to realise that only real democracy can move our nation forward towards progress, and earn her the respect she deserves from the international community.

However, although this peaceful approach has exposed me to severe censure by some who have mistaken it for weakness on my part, those with whom I have sought to dialogue have remained like stones, neither stirred to show loyalty to the collective decision of the people of their own country, nor to observe Allah’s injunction that they should exhibit justice and fair-play in all their dealings with their fellowmen.

Appeals to their honour as officers and gentlemen of the gallant Nigerian Armed Forces, have fallen on deaf ears. Instead, they have resorted to the tactics of divide and rule, bribery and political perfidy, misinformation and (vile) propaganda. They arrest everyone who disagrees with them. Even the 71-year old hero of our nation, Chief Anthony Enahoro, was not spared. How much longer can we tolerate all this? People of Nigeria, you are all witnesses that I have tried to climb the highest mountain, cross the deepest river and walk the longest mile, in order to get these men to obey the will of our people.

There is no humiliation I have not endured, no snare that has not been put in my path, no “setup” that has not been designed for me in my endeavour to use the path of peace to enforce the mandate that you bestowed on me one year ago. It has been a long night. But the dawn is here.

Today, people of Nigeria, I join you all in saying, “Enough is Enough!” We have endured 24 years of military rule in our 34 years of independence.

Military rule has led to our nation fighting a civil war with itself. Military rule has destabilised our nation today as not before in its history. Military rule has impoverished our people and introduced a dreadful trade in drugs which has made our country’s name an anathema in many parts of the world. Even soccer fans going to watch the Green Eagles display in America are being made to suffer there needlessly because Nigeria’s name is linked with credit card and fraud and “419.” Politically, military rule has torn to shreds the prestige due to our country because of its size and population.

The permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council that should be rightfully ours, is all but lost. For who will vote for Nigeria to get the seat if Nigerian military rulers do not respect the votes of their own people?

Enough of military rule. We are sickened to see people who have shown little or no personal achievement, either in building up private businesses, or making success of any tangible thing, being placed in charge of the management of our nation’s economy, by rulers who are not accountable to anyone.

Enough of square pegs in round holes. We are tired of then military repetitive tendency to experiment with our economy: Today, they say “no controls.” Tomorrow; they say “Full controls”. The day after, they say “Fine tuning”.

The next day, they say “Devaluation.” A few days later, they say “Revalue the same naira upwards again Abi?” All we can see are the consequences of this permanent game of military “about turns;” high inflation, a huge budget deficit and an enormous foreign debt repayment burden, dying industries, high unemployment and a demoralised populace.

Our youths, in particular, can see no hope on the horizon, and many can only dream of escaping from our shores to join the brain drain. Is this the Nigeria we want? We are plagued also by periodic balance of payments crises, which have led to a perennial shortage of essential drugs, that has turned our hospitals and clinics into mortuaries.

A scarcity of books and equipment has rendered our schools into desolate deserts of ignorance. Our factories are crying for machinery, spare parts and raw materials. But each day that passes, instead of these economic diseases being cured, they are rather strengthened as an irrational allocation of foreign exchange based on favouritism and corruption becomes the order of the day.

Enough is enough of economic mismanagement! People of Nigeria, during the election campaign last year, I presented you with a programme entitled “HOPE ’93. This programme was aimed precisely at solving these economic (problems) that have demoralised us all. I toured every part of Nigeria to present this programme to you the electorate. I was questioned on it at public rallies and press conferences and I had the privilege of incorporating into it much of the feedback that I obtained from the people.

Because you knew I would not only listen to you but deliver superb results from the programme, you voted for me in your millions and gave me an overwhelming majority over my opponent. To be precise, you gave me 58.4 per cent of the popular vote and a majority in 20 out of 30 states plus the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Not only that, you also enabled me to fulfil the constitutional requirement that the winner should obtain one-third of the votes in two-thirds of the states.

I am sure that when you cast an eye on the moribund state of Nigeria today, you ask yourselves: “What have we done to deserve this, when we have a president- elect who can lead a government that can change things for the better? Our patience has come to an end.

As of now, from this moment, a new Government of National Unity is in power throughout the length and breadth of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, led by me, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, as President and Commander-in-Chief. The National Assembly is hereby reconvened. All dismissed governors are reinstated.

The State Assemblies are reconstituted, as are all local government councils. I urge them to adopt a bi-partisan approach to all the issues that come before them. At the national level, a bi-partisan approach will be our guiding principle. I call upon the usurper, General Sani Abacha, to announce his resignation forthwith, together with the rest of his illegal ruling council. We are prepared to enter into negotiations with them to work out the mechanics for a smooth transfer of power.

I pledge that if they hand over quietly, they will be retired with all their entitlements, and their positions will be accorded all the respect due to them. For our objective is neither recrimination nor witch-hunting, but an enforcement of the will of the Nigerian people, as expressed in free elections conducted by the duly constituted authority of the time.

I hereby invoke the mandate bestowed upon me by my victory in the said election, to call on all members of the Armed Forces and the Police, the Civil and Public Services throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to obey only the Government of National Unity that is headed by me, your only elected President.

My Government of National Unity is the only legitimate, constituted authority in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as of now. People of Nigeria, these are challenging times in the history of our continent, Africa, and we in Nigeria must not allow ourselves to be left behind. Our struggle is the same as that waged by the people of South Africa, which has been successfully concluded, with the inauguration of Mr. Nelson Mandela as the first African President of that country.

Nelson Mandela fought to replace MINORITY rule with MAJORITY rule. We in Nigeria are also fighting to replace MINORITY rule, for we are ruled by only a tiny section of our armed forces. Like the South Africans, we want MAJORITY rule today, that is rule only by those chosen by all the people of Nigeria as a whole in free and fair elections.

The only difference between South Africa and Nigeria is that those who imposed minority rule on the majority rule whether it is by black or white, remains minority rule, and must be booted out. I call on you, heroic people of Nigeria, to emulate the actions of your brothers and sisters in South Africa and stand up as one person to throw away the yoke of minority rule for ever.

The antics of every minority that oppresses the majority are always the same. They will try to intimidate you with threats of police action. But do not let us fear arrest. In South Africa, so many people were arrested, during the campaign against the Pass Laws, for instance, that the jails could not hold all of them. Today, apartheid is gone forever.

So, let it be with Nigeria. Let us say goodbye forever to minority rule by the military. They talk of treason. But haven’t they heard of the Rivonia treason trial in South Africa? Did those treason trials halt the march of history? People of Nigeria, our time is now. You are the repository of power in the land.

No one can give you power. It is yours. Take it! From this day, show to the world that anyone who takes the people of Nigeria for fools is deceiving himself and will have the people to answer to. God bless you all. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Long live the Government of National Unity.

The governments of Ogun and Osun states have declared Monday, June 12, as work-free days in honour of late M.K.O. Abiola, acclaimed winner of the June 12 ’93 presidential election.

Governors Ibikunle Amosun and Rauf Aregbesola made this known in separate press statements on Friday.

Taiwo Adeoluwa, spokesperson of the Ogun State governor, stated that “this year’s celebration will feature the annual ‘Democracy Walk’, which will be led by the governor, starting from the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, at 7am.

“The walk is expected to take participants through major roads in the state capital to the Abiola family homestead at Oke-Ido, Gbagura, Abeokuta North Local Government Area, where special prayers and speeches will be made.

“Later in the day, an inspirational stage play, ‘Oju Kelekun’ (farewell to reproach), directed by Prof. Bakare Ojo Rasaki, will be performed at the June 12 Cultural Centre, between 3:45 and 6:00pm.”

Adelani Baderinwa, Osun state commissioner of information and strategy, noted in his statement that “the public holiday is to commemorate the June 12, 1993 presidential election believed to have been won by the late business mogul, late Bashorun MKO Abiola, but was annulled by the General Ibrahim Babangida junta”.

Both Governors Amosun and Aregbesola have consistently declared June 12 of every year as public holiday since assuming power in 2011.

Some Nigerians have argued that Nigeria’s democracy day should be celebrated on June 12 rather than May 29 as is presently the case. It is believed that the events leading up to the election, and even after, laid a strong foundation for the democracy that the country now enjoys.

Oyo and and Ondo are two more states where Monday has been declared public holiday.

“We must wake up to this reality, whether we like it or we don’t like it. Democracy day which we are celebrating comes up to being on May 29 and we can’t run away from it,” Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, had said back on May 29.

“It is not to say we will not celebrate June 12. Here in Ondo state we will celebrate June 12 and it will be a work-free day.

“MKO deserves a special honour, not only to him but also to his wife. Their blood was spilled for the realisation of our democracy. He was the president but not allowed to assume office”

Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation Magazine, wants Ibrahim Babangida, Nigeria’s former military head of state, to publicly apologise to the country for annulling the June 12, 1993, election, which has been described by many as Nigeria’s freest and fairest general election yet.

Momodu told The Punch newspaper in an interview published on Saturday that Nigeria is yet to recover from the chaos it was thrown into by the cancellation of the election and the subsequent death, in prison, of M.K.O Abiola, who is believed to have won the exercise.

He however noted that the he was certain that the decision to cancel the June 12 election could not have been made by the then head of state alone, adding that “Nigeria is mafia nation and there are less than 10 people who control that cabal”.

Momodu said: “I always say it to those who are close to Babangida that if I were him, one thing I would do is to apologise to Nigerians. It is not too much.

“I believe that he should apologise and Nigerians would move on because that is the best election we ever held.

“I don’t believe he did it alone, I am sure it was a grand conspiracy because Nigeria is a mafia nation and there are less than 10 people who control that cabal.”

The renowned publisher, who started his journalism career at The Concord newspaper, owned by Abiola, further said that the decision to annul the 1993 election was totally inexplicable and incomprehensible.

“There may be things they know that I do not know and I give them that benefit of doubt but I have tried to search for an answer and I still cannot understand why that election was annulled,” he said.

“It is something I cannot comprehend, how anybody would build such a beautiful election and kill it with his own hands.”

Momodu however stressed that though he was persecuted as an Abiola loyalist, thrown into jail and later forced into exile, he does not bear any grudge against Babangida.

“No, I do not have any grudge against him. I am a good Christian and my Bible teaches me to forgive my enemies 70 times seven times. I practise that foolishly and I have nothing against anybody. I leave everyone to God. Vengeance is not mine.

“If I see Babangida today, I greet him and we talk. We have met several times and we talk. Abiola did not hold it against anybody. That is one thing I learnt from him. He did not keep malice neither was he petty.

“You cannot be a believer and not learn how to forgive even if you do not forget because I can never forget that some people put me in prison. I cannot forget that some people put Abiola where he was but it is not up to me to judge anybody. There may be things they know that I do not know and I give them that benefit of doubt but I have tried to search for an answer and I still cannot understand why that election was annulled.”