"31 years after Abiola paid the supreme price for the enthronement of civil rule, his manifesto on providing basic amenities and prosperity for the citizenry remains elusive," the CSOs stated.
As Nigerians celebrated 25 years of unbroken democratic rule on Wednesday, Civil Society Organisations under the aegis of Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) and social activists took to the streets in Osogbo, Osun State capital, to protest against hardship occasioned by the Federal Government's economic policies.
They charged President Bola Tinubu to address prevailing hunger, hardship, insecurity and other challenges plaguing the nation.
They observed that 31 years after the symbol of June 12, the late MKO Abiola paid the supreme price for the enthronement of civil rule; his manifesto on providing basic amenities and prosperity for the citizenry remains elusive.
Members of the CSOs challenged the nation's leaders on responsive governance.
Addressing journalists during the peaceful protest, the chairman of Osun Civil Societies Coalition, Waheed Lawal, said the late Abiola's election victory had remained a missed opportunity to set Nigeria on the right track for all-encompassing development.
According to him, "it is unfortunate that the manifesto of the winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, the late MKO Abiola, which included the provision of basic amenities and mass prosperity, are still elusive 31 years after. Besides, the lessons and gains of June 12 appear to be missing in the corridors of power at all levels.
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"Nigeria's leaders appear to have learnt nothing and forgotten everything. Unfortunately, decades of bad governance by the unpatriotic and self-centred elite, military and civilian leadership that cut across all tribes and religions have produced exploitation, oppression, poverty, misery, injustice, insecurity, banditry, violence and death as being experienced by the masses across the country."
Mr Lawal lamented that Nigerians were going through worsening economic hardship that is creating more poverty and deprivation.
He stressed that the administration of Mr Tinubu, through its World Bank and IMF teleguided economic policies, has continued to unleash hardship on Nigerians.
"The removal of subsidy, increment in electricity tariff and devaluation of Naira have cast a shadow over the economic stability of Nigeria. This is hampering productivity and killing Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMSE), taking away the purchasing power of the Nigerian people, creating hunger and starvation, while prices of foodstuffs and essential commodities are skyrocketing."
In his remark, the chairman the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Osun State chapter, Emmanuel Olowu, called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in agriculture, stressing that without such a step, the nation's economy will remain in the doldrum.
