Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the apology by President Muhammadu Buhari to the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, for his travails after the election and the posthumous conferment of the highest national title of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on him as not only historical, heroical, monumental but the rebirth of democracy in Nigeria, adding that the act has put President Buhari not only as a listening leader, revolutionist, enigma, a true father of Nigeria, icon but also the new face of democracy in Nigeria.
The party maintained that it is only a great visionary and a true Statesman in the mould of President Buhari that could recognise the wickedness and evil meted to all Nigerians by few members of the clique of leaders at the helm of affairs at that period of our dark history and resolved to straighten the facts and right this wicked act. An act past Heads of State of Nigeria that includes Gnerals Ibrahim Babangidda, Abudulsalem Abubakar, Olusegun Obasanjo, Alh. Yar-Adua and Dr Goodluck Jonathan were not only afraid but dread to touch let alone correcting it but which President Buhari corrected to demonstrate that he is poles apart from our past leaders and that he is more than an ordinary General.
The party concurred with Mr. President on his stand as contained in this quote, “We cannot rewind the past but we can at least assuage our feelings, recognise that a wrong has been committed and resolve to stand firm now and ease the future for the sanctity of free elections. Nigerians will no longer tolerate such perversion of justice. This retrospective and posthumous recognition is only a symbolic token of redress and recompense for the grievous injury done to the peace and unity of our country.”
The party State Chairman, Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree who stated all these in a press statement he signed and issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt the capital of Rivers State further pleaded with Nigerians to grant Mr. President who has demonstrated his passion to take our nation to a new height another chance by reelecting him come 2019.
Hon. Ojukaye also pleaded with President Buhari to in the same spirit of correcting the undemocratic wrongs of the past right similar diabolical act and evil machination plotted to derail our nascent democracy by six renegade, mischievous, lawless lawmakers from Rivers State who attempted to truncate our democracy by embarking upon a futile and an illegal impeachment of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi then Governor of Rivers State.
“The party will like these agents of undemocratic act to be tried for treason as their act then was not only unconstitutional but a plot that would have truncated our nascent democracy if not for the bravery and patriotic act of Dr Chidi Llyod, the CSO and ADC of the erstwhile Governor of Rivers State who risked their lives to stop these evil men from achieving their unholy act and saved Rivers people and the country the shame and global mockery such ignominy perpetrated by these six lawmakers under the leading of then Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, would have caused us all as a nation” Ojukaye appealed.
The party recalled with nostalgia how this renegade group of six lawmakers not only desecrated the hallowed premises of the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday, 9th July 2013 but mobilized over 500 militants and thugs with strict instruction to attack and maim law abiding lawmakers who had rightly resumed their daily job of lawmaking at the Assembly complex on that fateful day.
The guilty lawless lawmakers involved in this abominable and punishable act include: Hon Kelechi Godspower Nworgu, Hon. Micheal Okechukwu Chindah, Hon Victor Ihunwo, Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, Hon Martins Amaewhule and their leader, Hon Evans Bipi.
The party maintained that these men wth their sponsor, Governor Wike must be made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others who may want to toe the same unholy path and jeopardize our hard earned democracy adding that such crass display of impunity should not be allowed to go unpunished.
In the same vein and spirit of honouring those who have done much in protecting our nascent democracy, the party recommends Dr Llyod and his group for national honours’ awards.
The party noted with sadness that because of the great part Dr. Llyod played in the election of the APC government under President Buhari, Governor Wike has sworn that he will not only imprison Dr. Llyod but will make his life a living hell in a government in which our party controls the centre.
“We therefore plead with Mr. President to intervene and stop Wike from harassing and intimidating those who are working assiduously for his reelection come 2019” Ojukaye finally implored.