AKURE, ONDO STATE — In a powerful, historically rich, and deeply emotional reflection on Nigeria's democratic journey, the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has shed fresh light on the resolute patriotism of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.
Speaking as a guest speaker at a high-profile public lecture in Akure, the Ondo State capital, to commemorate the nation's Democracy Day, Oshiomhole disclosed that the late business mogul and presumed winner of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election flatly rejected immense pressure, immense wealth, and veiled threats from the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha. According to Oshiomhole, Abiola firmly refused to sell or trade away the democratic mandate entrusted to him by tens of millions of Nigerian citizens.
The lecture, aptly titled “June 12 and Beyond: National Development, Democratic Consolidation, and the Imperatives of Security,” served as a sobering reminder of the immense sacrifices that laid the foundation for Nigeria's current uninterrupted 27-year democratic dispensation. The event drew an array of political heavyweights, pro-democracy activists, elder statesmen, academics, and youth groups, all gathered to dissect the trajectory of the nation's governance.
Delving into personal archives and providing an eyewitness account of the tense socio-political atmosphere of the mid-1990s, Senator Oshiomhole—who was then a fiery, frontline leader within the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)—recounted a pivotal, high-stakes meeting held in Abuja with the then-military Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
The meeting occurred during a period of intense national gridlock, widespread civil disobedience, labor strikes, and international condemnation following the arbitrary annulment of the June 12 election by General Ibrahim Babangida, and the subsequent high-handed takeover of power by Abacha.
"During those turbulent times, as representatives of the working class and the Nigerian masses, a delegation from the Nigeria Labour Congress met face-to-face with General Sani Abacha in Abuja to find a way out of the national quagmire," Oshiomhole narrated to the captivated audience.
"General Abacha was very clear, blunt, and unyielding about where he stood. He looked us in the eye and told us explicitly that he was ready to tolerate almost anything, accommodate any request, and do practically anything for Chief MKO Abiola as an individual. He was ready to shower him with comfort, return his seized assets, or grant him immense privileges. However, Abacha added a terrifying caveat: 'The one thing I am absolutely not ready to tolerate is the idea that Abiola has proclaimed himself the President of Nigeria.'"
Oshiomhole explained that the military junta viewed Abiola's famous Epetedo Declaration—where he defiantly declared himself the lawful President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria—as a direct, unpardonable challenge to the sovereignty of the military government. The military regime sought a compromise whereby Abiola would formally renounce his presidential claim, abandon the June 12 mandate, and in return, receive boundless state patronage, safety, and financial restitution.
Despite the crushing machinery of the military state, the calculated isolation, the betrayal by fair-weather political allies, and the relentless pressure exerted by government officials, intermediaries, and highly placed middlemen, Chief MKO Abiola stood his ground like an unmovable rock.
Oshiomhole remarked that Abiola’s defiance was not born out of personal arrogance or stubbornness, but out of a deep, sacred reverence for the democratic will of the Nigerian people.
Regarding his accountability to the electorate, Abiola firmly believed that the votes cast across ethnic, religious, and regional lines belonged to the citizens, not to him to barter away. In his rejection of financial inducement, he explicitly turned down lucrative offers aimed at restoring his personal business empire at the expense of democracy. He ultimately chose the harsh, cold walls of solitary confinement and personal sacrifice over the luxurious surrender being offered by the junta.
"Abiola sent a clear, thunderous message back to those who tried to negotiate away the soul of Nigerian democracy," Oshiomhole stated, his voice echoing through the lecture hall. "He told those who sent us, and the various emissaries sent by the regime, that he was duly and legitimately elected as the President of Nigeria. He made it categorically clear that he would never, under any circumstance, sell the sacred mandate entrusted to him by the Nigerian people."
The Edo North Senator emphasized that this singular act of bravery, selflessness, and unalloyed patriotism is what cements Abiola's legacy as the foundational martyr of modern Nigerian democracy. He stressed that while many politicians of that era quickly capitulated, accepted ministerial appointments under the military, or fled into comfortable self-exile, Abiola chose to stay, suffer, and ultimately pay the supreme price.
Turning his attention to the younger generation of Nigerians present at the lecture, Senator Oshiomhole Reader lamented that the deep, unifying lessons of the June 12 struggle are fast being forgotten in an era dominated by hyper-partisan, ethnic, and religious polarization.
He described the June 12, 1993 election as a beautiful, fleeting moment in Nigerian history where voters deliberately looked past artificial divides. Abiola, a Southern Muslim, and his running mate, Baba Gana Kingibe, a Northern Muslim, ran on a Muslim-Muslim ticket, yet they secured a landslide victory across the length and breadth of Nigeria—including sweeping votes in predominantly Christian regions of the South and Middle Belt, as well as core conservative enclaves of the North.
The election proved the transcendence of religion, demonstrating that Nigerians care more about competence and hope than religious configuration. It also built bridges over ethnic divides by achieving pan-Nigerian acceptance and breaking traditional regional voting blocs through mass civilian mobilization.
"Chief MKO Abiola remains an eternal, irreplaceable symbol of national unity," Oshiomhole asserted. "He achieved a political feat that remains a reference point today. His victory proved that when Nigerians are presented with a vision of genuine hope, economic prosperity, and national progress, they can look beyond their differences. The youth of today must study June 12, absorb its lessons, and reject those who try to divide them along tribal or sectarian lines for cheap political gain."
Shifting the discourse from historical democratic consolidation to contemporary national development, Senator Oshiomhole tackled the severe security challenges currently plaguing the nation. He argued that democracy cannot thrive in an environment of fear, banditry, insurgency, and pervasive lawlessness.
To this end, Oshiomhole dropped a major legislative update, disclosing that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is deeply, unreservedly committed to restructuring Nigeria's security architecture. Specifically, he noted that the President is actively driving and accelerating crucial constitutional amendments aimed at paving the way for the creation of state police forces across the 36 states of the federation.
The debate over state policing has been a contentious issue in Nigeria for decades, with proponents arguing it is the only antidote to localized crime, while critics express fears that state governors might abuse regional law enforcement to suppress political opponents. Oshiomhole, however, insisted that the current security realities make centralization obsolete.
"The President is genuinely, deeply committed to moving with speed to ensure that the state police constitutional amendment is successfully passed," Oshiomhole revealed.
"He has given us in the National Assembly a clear, unambiguous mandate to get this legislative framework done. However, as a true democrat who respects the separation of powers, the President cannot simply wave a magic wand or issue an executive fiat to make it happen on his own. It requires a rigorous, collaborative constitutional process involving the National Assembly and, crucially, the state houses of assembly."
Oshiomhole urged state governors, state lawmakers, and civil society organizations to actively rally behind the presidency and the National Assembly to ensure the amendment sails through seamlessly. He noted that localized policing is a global standard for federal systems and is imperative for safeguarding the lives, investments, and agricultural lands of ordinary Nigerians.
The public lecture concluded with a resounding standing ovation for the former NLC President, whose remarks bridged the gap between the sacrifices of Nigeria’s past heroes and the governance responsibilities of its present leaders.
Attendees left the venue with a renewed appreciation for the resilience of MKO Abiola and a clearer understanding of the legislative battles currently being fought in Abuja to secure the nation. As Oshiomhole aptly summarized, the greatest way to honor Abiola's refusal to sell the Nigerian mandate is to build a secure, prosperous, and truly decentralized federal republic where the voice of the voter remains supreme.
