They are Rt. Honorable, Chief Agunwa Anekwe, former Speaker, House of Representatives in the Third Republic; Senator Iyorchia Ayu, former Senate President in the Third Republic; and Senator Ameh Ebute, Senate President in the Third Republic.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, who announced this in his welcome address at conferment of posthumous national honors on Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, said their investiture will take place at a later date.
”These awards serve as a public acknowledgement of their pivotal contribution to nationhood and a further demonstration of this Administration’s commitment to upholding the ethos of democratic governance,” the SGF said.
On the significance of the Federal Government’s proclamation of June 12 as “Democracy Day”, Boss noted that it was in recognition of the public acknowledgement of ”our heroes past whose supreme efforts laid the foundation for our nascent democracy. ”
”The monumental election that took place on June 12, 1993 represented the first time in the history of our nation that Nigerians voted not for tribe or creed or region but for their convictions, affirming their common heritage and unity of purpose,” he said.
The SGF also added: ”June 12, more than any other day, symbolized the varied struggles and sacrifices made by fellow citizens of this great nation, established democracy as our political system of governance, and opened a new chapter in the political history.
”It is in commemoration of this day, the spirit of which should be internalized in the consciousness of Nigerians of all ages and taught to our children and generations of Nigerians yet unborn, that this Administration has, in placing history in the right perspective, declared June 12 of every year as Democracy Day and as a national holiday”.
NAN reports that the high point of the event was the conferment of posthumous national honors on Chief Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 election, as Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and Chief Gani Fawehinmi as the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
No comments: