Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun says conducting free and fair elections is the best way to honour the memory of the late Chief MKO Abiola and other heroes of democracy.
Adeleke said this in a statement by his spokesperson, Mr Olawale Rasheed, to commemorate Democracy Day on Wednesday, in Osogbo.
Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election, was arrested while trying to insist on his victory and died in custody in 1998.
The 1993 election, though annulled by the then military government, is adjudged to be the freest and fairest so far in the nation's history.
This prompted the change in the celebration of Nigeria's Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12, which the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration did in 2018.
Adeleke said that free and fair elections remained the lifeline of any virile democracy.
He acknowledged the sacrifices and struggles that paved the way for the return to civil rule in 1999.
The governor called on politicians in the country to submit themselves to upholding the tenets of democracy, by respecting the will of the people.
According to him, the political class must recommit to strengthening the country's electoral system, to deliver credible elections and ensure that the will of the people is not subverted.
"Our best homage to our democratic heroes is our continued upholding of the basic tenets of democracy," he said.
The governor said that such tenets include free and fair elections and observance of rule of law.
"We cannot at one hand celebrate Democracy Day and on the other hand undermine the democratic machine.
"You cannot be applauding the great memories of the late Bashorun Abiola and at the same time be working against free and fair elections.
"I call on leaders locally and nationally to rededicate ourselves to democratic ideals; the will of the people freely expressed must be accepted by genuine democrats.
"Our electoral system must be strengthened to deliver credible elections," he said.
The governor said that under no circumstances should the will of the people be subverted.
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"Politicians must grow to know and accept that power flows from the people.
"Rigging elections is an act of war against democracy. Genuine democrats accept electoral verdicts as a mark of respect for the voters, the ultimate holder of sovereignty.
That's what I did in 2018 when I was denied victory.
"If there is any lesson June 12 every year is to teach us, it is that democracy thrives when electoral candidates bow to people's will.
"We must stop being autocratic in democratic garb," he said.
