June 12: Buhari only trying to regain lost popularity with declaration - PDP member alleges
- President Muhammadu Buhari's recent declaration of June 12 as the new Democracy Day has been seen as an effort to win back his lost popularity
- Umar Ardo, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed that although honouring MKO Abiola was a welcome idea, the intention was political
- Ardo also alleged that the president was also trying to rubbish the names of past heads of states like Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida
Umar Ardo, a top member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as Nigeria’s new Democracy Day is laced with some amount of political colouring.
Ardo said this on Friday, June 8, in an interview on Channels Television. He said that while honouring Late MKO Abiola, was a good idea, the motive behind it was probable.
READ ALSO: Buhari is plotting to arrest me on false charges - Obasanjo alleges
Ardo said: “I have absolutely no problem with honouring them. They have done a whole lot in honouring the democratic process of Nigeria. My only problem is the motive, because I have been following President Buhari’s politics since he came into politics in 2002.
“I never heard him say anything about June 12. Neither in 2003, 2007, 2015 or even 2018 on the 29th of May when he addressed the nation.”
Ardo said that the president said nothing of his plans and therefore, the declaration revealed his attempt to score political points and endear himself to the southwesterners.
Moreover, he stated that the move may be an attempt to 'rubbish' former heads of state like Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, with whom he (Buhari) had political friction.
He further said: “Before coming into politics, he worked with General Sani Abacha as the PTF chairman and you know that Sani Abacha was central in denying the actualisation of June 12 and incarcerating MKO Abiola so for him to just come out and put out the issue of June 12, like a bolt out of the blue, it gives a lot of serious reason for concern.
“If you have not led a background on something and out of the blue you just came out with it, that means either you are in a desperate state and you want to achieve something or that you are being schemed by somebody who also wants to achieve something.
“Also, you may want to make rubbish. For example he has a running battle with President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is a key beneficiary of June 12 and President Ibrahim Babangida who annulled the June 12 election – he has key issues with them.
PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!
"So I believe he must be thinking that if he comes up with this that not only will he regain his lost popularity in the country, especially in the southwest but he will also be able to rubbish these two former presidents on the grounds that they were responsible for it.”
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the former Senate president, Senator Adolphus Wabara, had said President Muhammadu Buhari deserves commendation for conferring a national honour on the late Chief MKO Abiola.
Legit.ng gathered that Wabara, who is also the acting secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said Buhari’s decision came as a surprise to many Nigerians.
TODAY’S GIST: Democracy Day! What is There to Celebrate? - Nigerians Lament | Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
