June 12: Name Eagle Square after MKO Abiola, CNPP tells Jonathan

By Tony Edike (Vanguard)
ENUGU – THE Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, Sunday, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to as a matter of urgent national importance immortalize Chief MKO Abiola by changing the name of Eagle Square in Abuja  to MKO Abiola Square.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity  Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the CNPP said the call became necessary because Chief MKO Abiola was undoubtedly the father of Nigeria’s fourth republic; a republic he paid the supreme sacrifice for and regrettably a republic whose beneficiaries out of self denial, deliberately refused to immortalize him.
It noted that Chief Abiola was the symbol of the freest, fairest and transparent election in the annals of our history, “an election where no blood was shed, where a muslim-muslim ticket won and an election which defied tribalism and regionalism.”
Reflecting on the intended and unintended consequences of the annulment of June 12 election won by Abiola, the CNPP said:
“The tragedy and cruel intended consequence of the annulment of the June 12 election is that the masterminds of the annulment more or less are still controlling the top levers of power in Nigeria; having simulated the emergence of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as president in 1999.
“The unintended consequence is that as anti-democrats who are naturally opposed to the sanctity of the ballot box; the annulment cabal did not hesitate to corrupt the electoral process as neither the 2003, 2007 sham elections nor the hi-tech rigged 2011 elections can be equated with the June 12 election.
“The June 12 election remains the freest, fair and credible election in the annals of Nigerian democracy and therefore the subsequent elections could have maintained this sterling quality; if the election was not subverted by anti-democratic forces.”