By DAVID IORJA, Abuja
Following his declaration on Wednesday that henceforth, June 12 be observed as Democracy Day in Nigeria and that some heroes of democracy be given national honours, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami to take immediate steps to publish the Presidential Order in the Federal Gazette as follows:
Chief MKO Abiola – Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (Posthumous)
Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe – Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger
Chief Gani Fawehinmi -Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (Posthumous)
Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), Garba Shehu, who made this known in a statement on Thursday, said the President also directed that this should be done so that the awards slated for June 12, 2018 can go on as planned.
Late MKO Abiola
This development came just as the Nigerian Senate has asked President Buhari to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the result of the 1993 presidential election that was believed to have been won by Moshood Abiola.
The Senate disclosed this during the plenary session on Thursday while commending the president for recognising June 12 as Democracy Day and declaring the awards of GCFR and GCON for MKO and his running mate, Babagana Kingibe respectively.
