Ex-aide laments neglect of Abiola’s ideals

[Punch]

Former Special Assistant to the late Chief MKO Abiola, Chief Olu Akerele, says the country has yet to meet the aspirations of the deceased politician.

He argued that all the indices that propelled Abiola into politics had plummeted dangerously, "where our hospitals, for instance, have deteriorated from consulting clinics, as they were then described, to death slabs."

He stated this in a statement on Monday in his reminiscences of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.

The military junta, led by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, annulled the election won by the business mogul.

Akerele regretted that "the political class, in desperation for filthy lucre had paid little attention to the ideals of the Abiola dream."

He said education standards had fallen "dangerously" since the annulment despite purported huge public investments in the sector, while school environment had become hostile to low income earners, who could no longer afford the high cost of education.

Akerele noted that poverty still reigned such that the poor were not sure of the next meal, while the majority, who inhabited urban slums and rural areas, lived in abject poverty.

 Frowning on the level of unemployment in the country, the former aide said Abiola would be turning in his grave in the realisation that his supreme sacrifice was in vain.

He said, "The politicians could not even humour the philanthropist by paying attention to sports development which has the potential of creating employment among youths."

The ex-aide, who appealed to politicians to be selfless in service, cautioned them against acts that would elicit mass revolt in the country.

He urged the Federal Government to immortalise the late politician by setting aside June 12 as a public holiday to commemorate his struggle for democracy.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday said  June 12 would remain the country's Democracy Day.

The Assembly Chairman on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity, Segun Olulade, who stated this,  noted that the import of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections, would never be relegated to the background.

 June 12, he maintained, represented the collective will of the masses and a demonstration of the people's preference for democracy in lieu of military dictatorship.

The Punch