>
The state governments of Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Ondo have declared Tuesday, June 12, 2018 as public holiday to commemorate the anniversary of June 12 1993 election generally and widely believed to have been won by Late Bashorun MKO Abiola.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, in a statement issued at the weekend, expressed satisfaction that 25 years after the election adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria, the winner of the election, the late Chief M. K. O. Abiola, was recognized by the Federal Government.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the posthumous award of the highest honour of the land, the Grand Commander of The Federal Republic (GCFR), on Chief MKO Abiola and the decision to make June 12 as the Democracy Day in recognition and honour of the martyrdom of Chief Abiola and others who fought for the actualization of democracy in Nigeria.
Arulogun described Abiola as a symbol of democracy, noting that his strong conviction that the ordinary Nigerian must be freed from the shackles of oppression, poverty, penury and want would forever be appreciated and commended.
He assured that Oyo state will continue to celebrate June 12.