Chief Kola Abiola, son of the self-acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, has knocked the current set of leaders over the state of the country, saying this is not the democracy his late father and those who laid down their lives for the country died for.
Abiola died in detention years after challenging the military for annulling the election adjudged the freest and fairest in the country.
He added that it was not the kind of democracy several Nigerians laid down their lives for.
Kola Abiola spoke about this during the Tribe Naija, 2021 Democracy Day Fireside chat, which held in Abuja, on Saturday.
Speaking on the theme: “This thing called democracy,” Kola saluted the memories of Abiola, his business and political associate, General Musa Yar’ Adua, lamenting that their dream for one indivisible Nigeria was still being pursued decades after their demise.
He said: “Today is an emotional day for me. I want to give honour to my late dad, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, GCFR, Gen. Yar’Adua, GCON and many more that have passed on in the name of democracy.
“I have travelled all over Nigeria since 1978. I have been to every corner of Nigeria, either by road or by air, and I see everywhere as home. I walk everywhere and I am safe. So why do we want to see this end?
“I am not impressed with the democracy that we are in today, because it is not what my father and others died for. It’s not what they put their lives on the line for.
“And I want to make sure we get what they will be proud of in their graves. The mantle is now for me to make sure that happens and that is what I mean by completing that bridge.”
Kola, on the occasion, launched an awareness application, Tribe Naija, a mobilisation tool aimed at rallying young Nigerians ahead of their choice of the 2023 elections.
His statement comes hours after the Abiola family accused the Federal Government of failing its promises to them after setting June 12 aside as Democracy Day.
President Muhammadu Buhari had approved June 12 as Democracy Day in 2018, in order to honour Abiola.
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