Jamiu Abiola, a son to late Chief MKO Abiola, has slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo for “benefiting from his father’s blood” but neglecting to recognise his contribution to Nigeria’s democracy.
The deceased son spoke on Sunday in Abuja at an event tagged “Testimonies of Change”, designed to showcase the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture, witnessed personal testimonies by beneficiaries of government programmes.
Abiola, who was among the testifiers, said for over two decades, Nigerians gave mandate to his father, which he was “denied and killed”, the family suffered emotional and psychological torture.
He said his mother, Kudirat Abiola, who also fought for his father’s mandate, was also killed in the process, leaving seven children behind.
Jamiu said that Obasanjo benefited from the democracy struggle by his late father and mother when he was elected as Executive President in 1999.
He said in spite of coming from the same region and state as his late father and mother, Obasanjo declined to recognise their contribution to the enthronement of democracy.
He, therefore, commended President Muhammad Buhari, who after over two decades, recognised his father and declared June 12, national Democracy Day.
“What President Buhari has done, despite not being a Yoruba man, has ended the emotional and psychological trauma my family has gone through all these years,” he said .
Jamiu also testified to Buhari’s giant strides in reaching out to the poor people and improving on infrastructure like power, roads, rails.
He said June 12 which his parents paid the supreme sacrifice for, was about the poor and the masses and Buhari had become a replica of the mantra.
He said Buhari deserved a second term, urging Nigerians to come out to vote for him in the forthcoming election.
