June 12 a memorable date for the Nigerian Populace, a day to remember.
read full text of the Epetedo, Lagos proclamation delivered by
the late M.K.O. Abiola on Saturday, June 11, 1994.
People of Nigeria, exactly one year ago, you turned out in
your millions to vote for me, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, as the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria. But politicians in uniform, who call themselves
soldiers but are more devious than any civilian would want to be, deprived you
of your God-given right to be ruled by the President you had yourselves
elected.
These soldier-politicians introduced into our body politic,
a concept hitherto unknown to our political lexicography, something strangely
called the “annulment” of an election perceived by all to have been the
fairest, cleanest and most peaceful ever held in our nation.
Since that abominable act of naked political armed robbery
occurred, I have been constantly urged by people of goodwill, both in Nigeria
and abroad, to put the matter back into the people’s hands and get them to
actualise the mandate they gave me at the polls. But mindful of the need to
ensure that peace continues to reign in our fragile federation, I have so far
tried to pursue sweet reason and negotiation.
My hope has always been to arouse whatever remnants of
patriotism are left in the hearts of these thieves of your mandate, and to
persuade them that they should not allow their personal desire to rule to usher
our beloved country into an era of political instability and economic ruin.
All I have sought to do, in seeking dialogue with them, has
been to try and get them to realise that only real democracy can move our
nation forward towards progress, and earn her the respect she deserves from the
international community.
However, although this peaceful approach has exposed me to
severe censure by some who have mistaken it for weakness on my part, those with
whom I have sought to dialogue have remained like stones, neither stirred to
show loyalty to the collective decision of the people of their own country, nor
to observe Allah’s injunction that they should exhibit justice and fair-play in
all their dealings with their fellowmen.
Appeals to their honour as officers and gentlemen of the
gallant Nigerian Armed Forces, have fallen on deaf ears. Instead, they have
resorted to the tactics of divide and rule, bribery and political perfidy,
misinformation and (vile) propaganda. They arrest everyone who disagrees with
them. Even the 71-year old hero of our nation, Chief Anthony Enahoro, was not
spared. How much longer can we tolerate all this? People of Nigeria, you are
all witnesses that I have tried to climb the highest mountain, cross the
deepest river and walk the longest mile, in order to get these men to obey the
will of our people.
There is no humiliation I have not endured, no snare that
has not been put in my path, no “setup” that has not been designed for me in my
endeavour to use the path of peace to enforce the mandate that you bestowed on
me one year ago. It has been a long night. But the dawn is here.
Today, people of Nigeria, I join you all in saying, “Enough
is Enough!” We have endured 24 years of military rule in our 34 years of independence.
Military rule has led to our nation fighting a civil war
with itself. Military rule has destabilised our nation today as not before in
its history. Military rule has impoverished our people and introduced a
dreadful trade in drugs which has made our country’s name an anathema in many
parts of the world. Even soccer fans going to watch the Green Eagles display in
America are being made to suffer there needlessly because Nigeria’s name is
linked with credit card and fraud and “419.” Politically, military rule has
torn to shreds the prestige due to our country because of its size and
population.
The permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council
that should be rightfully ours, is all but lost. For who will vote for Nigeria
to get the seat if Nigerian military rulers do not respect the votes of their
own people?
Enough of military rule. We are sickened to see people who
have shown little or no personal achievement, either in building up private
businesses, or making success of any tangible thing, being placed in charge of
the management of our nation’s economy, by rulers who are not accountable to
anyone.
Enough of square pegs in round holes. We are tired of then
military repetitive tendency to experiment with our economy: Today, they say
“no controls.” Tomorrow; they say “Full controls”. The day after, they say
“Fine tuning”.
The next day, they say “Devaluation.” A few days later, they
say “Revalue the same naira upwards again Abi?” All we can see are the consequences
of this permanent game of military “about turns;” high inflation, a huge budget
deficit and an enormous foreign debt repayment burden, dying industries, high
unemployment and a demoralised populace.
Our youths, in particular, can see no hope on the horizon,
and many can only dream of escaping from our shores to join the brain drain. Is
this the Nigeria we want? We are plagued also by periodic balance of payments
crises, which have led to a perennial shortage of essential drugs, that has
turned our hospitals and clinics into mortuaries.
A scarcity of books and equipment has rendered our schools
into desolate deserts of ignorance. Our factories are crying for machinery,
spare parts and raw materials. But each day that passes, instead of these economic
diseases being cured, they are rather strengthened as an irrational allocation
of foreign exchange based on favouritism and corruption becomes the order of
the day.
Enough is enough of economic mismanagement! People of
Nigeria, during the election campaign last year, I presented you with a
programme entitled “HOPE ’93. This programme was aimed precisely at solving
these economic (problems) that have demoralised us all. I toured every part of
Nigeria to present this programme to you the electorate. I was questioned on it
at public rallies and press conferences and I had the privilege of
incorporating into it much of the feedback that I obtained from the people.
Because you knew I would not only listen to you but deliver
superb results from the programme, you voted for me in your millions and gave
me an overwhelming majority over my opponent. To be precise, you gave me 58.4
per cent of the popular vote and a majority in 20 out of 30 states plus the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Not only that, you also enabled me to fulfil
the constitutional requirement that the winner should obtain one-third of the
votes in two-thirds of the states.
I am sure that when you cast an eye on the moribund state of
Nigeria today, you ask yourselves: “What have we done to deserve this, when we
have a president- elect who can lead a government that can change things for
the better? Our patience has come to an end.
As of now, from this moment, a new Government of National
Unity is in power throughout the length and breadth of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, led by me, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, as President and
Commander-in-Chief. The National Assembly is hereby reconvened. All dismissed
governors are reinstated.
The State Assemblies are reconstituted, as are all local
government councils. I urge them to adopt a bi-partisan approach to all the
issues that come before them. At the national level, a bi-partisan approach
will be our guiding principle. I call upon the usurper, General Sani Abacha, to
announce his resignation forthwith, together with the rest of his illegal
ruling council. We are prepared to enter into negotiations with them to work
out the mechanics for a smooth transfer of power.
I pledge that if they hand over quietly, they will be
retired with all their entitlements, and their positions will be accorded all
the respect due to them. For our objective is neither recrimination nor
witch-hunting, but an enforcement of the will of the Nigerian people, as
expressed in free elections conducted by the duly constituted authority of the
time.
I hereby invoke the mandate bestowed upon me by my victory
in the said election, to call on all members of the Armed Forces and the
Police, the Civil and Public Services throughout the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, to obey only the Government of National Unity that is headed by me,
your only elected President.
My Government of National Unity is the only legitimate,
constituted authority in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as of now. People of
Nigeria, these are challenging times in the history of our continent, Africa,
and we in Nigeria must not allow ourselves to be left behind. Our struggle is
the same as that waged by the people of South Africa, which has been
successfully concluded, with the inauguration of Mr. Nelson Mandela as the
first African President of that country.
Nelson Mandela fought to replace MINORITY rule with MAJORITY
rule. We in Nigeria are also fighting to replace MINORITY rule, for we are
ruled by only a tiny section of our armed forces. Like the South Africans, we
want MAJORITY rule today, that is rule only by those chosen by all the people
of Nigeria as a whole in free and fair elections.
The only difference between South Africa and Nigeria is that
those who imposed minority rule on the majority rule whether it is by black or
white, remains minority rule, and must be booted out. I call on you, heroic
people of Nigeria, to emulate the actions of your brothers and sisters in South
Africa and stand up as one person to throw away the yoke of minority rule for
ever.
The antics of every minority that oppresses the majority are
always the same. They will try to intimidate you with threats of police action.
But do not let us fear arrest. In South Africa, so many people were arrested,
during the campaign against the Pass Laws, for instance, that the jails could
not hold all of them. Today, apartheid is gone forever.
So, let it be with Nigeria. Let us say goodbye forever to
minority rule by the military. They talk of treason. But haven’t they heard of
the Rivonia treason trial in South Africa? Did those treason trials halt the
march of history? People of Nigeria, our time is now. You are the repository of
power in the land.
No one can give you power. It is yours. Take it! From this
day, show to the world that anyone who takes the people of Nigeria for fools is
deceiving himself and will have the people to answer to. God bless you all.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Long live the
Government of National Unity.
