Nigeria: Buhari Declares June 12 Democracy Day in Honour of Abiola

6 June 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday directed that henceforth Democracy Day will be marked every year on June 12, rather than May 29 which had been observed as Democracy Day since 1999 when the current democratic dispensation began.

The shift is in honour of Late Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12 Presidential election. The June 12 presidential election, described as the freest and fairest election in Nigeria's history, was annulled by former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida. Though the results of the election were not fully announced before it was annulled, Abiola was believed to have won the election based on collations from all the states. Abiola later died in government detention in pursuit of his mandate.

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