By Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, lamented the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election presumably won by late business mogul, Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.
Obasanjo, who spoke at the 46th President Party of Abeokuta Club, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said the cancellation of June 12 election robbed Egbaland the rare privilege to have three of its prominent sons occupy the nation’s top
seat at different times.
The elder statesman who was referring to former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, himself who governed Nigeria, first, as a military Head of State and later two-time civilian president, noted that Abiola would have become the third, if 1993 poll was not cancelled.
The former president was honoured as Trustee of the Club, while MKO Abiola was awarded a posthumous Vice-Patron of the club.
Obasanjo described Abiola as his school mate at the Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta, saying he richly deserved the award bestowed on him by the Abeokuta Club.
“I want to thank the (Abeokuta) club for this honour being bestowed on me and the honour being bestowed on my school mate MKO Abiola which he richly deserved,” he said.
“Kabiyesi, the Alake (of Egbaland) alluded to it. Normally when you win a cup three times, you keep that cup. Isn’t it? If not for bad belle (hatred), Abeokuta would have produced President of Nigeria three times, in which case we should have kept it permanently.
“But be that as it may, we have a great heritage and we should be proud of our heritage.”
Obasanjo then pledged to continue to contribute his quota to the continued growth and development of Egbaland, Ogun State and Nigeria in general.
