On Saturday, June 11, 1994, at Epetedo, Lagos Island, the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola declared himself president in a historic speech titled: Enough is enough.
MKO Abiola's historic speech titled 'Enough Is Enough'
People of Nigeria, exactly one year ago, you
turned out in your millions to vote for me, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, as the President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
But politicians in uniform, who call
themselves soldiers but are more devious than any civilian would want to be,
deprived you of your God-given right to be ruled by the President you had
yourselves elected.
These soldier-politicians introduced into our
body politic, a concept hitherto unknown to our political lexicography,
something strangely called the ‘annulment’ of an election perceived by all to
have been the fairest, cleanest, and most peaceful ever held in our nation.
Since that abominable act of naked political
armed robbery occurred, I have been constantly urged by people of goodwill,
both in Nigeria and abroad, to put the matter back into the people’s hands and
get them to actualise the mandate they gave me at the polls.
But mindful of the need to ensure that peace
continues to reign in our fragile federation, I have so far tried to pursue
sweet reason and negotiation.
My hope has always been to arouse whatever
remnants of patriotism are left in the hearts of these thieves of your mandate,
and to persuade them that they should not allow their personal desire to rule
to usher our beloved country into an era of political instability and economic
ruin.
All I have sought to do, in seeking dialogue
with them, has been to try and get them to realise that only real democracy can
move our nation forward towards progress, and earn her the respect she deserves
from the international community.
However, although this peaceful approach has
exposed me to severe censure by some who have mistaken it for weakness on my
part, those with whom I have sought to dialogue have remained like stones,
neither stirred to show loyalty to the collective decision of the people of
their own country nor to observe Allah’s injunction that they should exhibit
justice and fair-play in all their dealings with their fellow men.
Appeals to their honour as officers and
gentlemen of the gallant Nigerian Armed Forces have fallen on deaf ears.
Instead, they have resorted to the tactics of
divide and rule, bribery and political perfidy, misinformation, and (vile)
propaganda.
They arrest everyone who disagrees with them.
Even the 71-year-old hero of our nation, Chief Anthony Enahoro, was not spared.
How much longer can we tolerate all this?
People of Nigeria, you are all witnesses that I have tried to climb the highest
mountain, cross the deepest river and walk the longest mile, in order to get
these men to obey the will of our people.
There is no humiliation I have not endured,
no snare that has not been put in my path, no ‘setup’ that has not been
designed for me in my endeavour to use the path of peace to enforce the mandate
that you bestowed on me one year ago.
It has been a long night. But the dawn is
here.
Today, people of Nigeria, I join you all in
saying, “Enough is Enough!
We have endured 24 years of military rule in
our 34 years of independence.
Military rule has led to our nation fighting
a civil war with itself. Military rule has destabilised our nation today as not
before in its history.
Military rule has impoverished our people and
introduced a dreadful trade in drugs which has made our country’s name an
anathema in many parts of the world.
Even soccer fans going to watch the Green
Eagles display in America are being made to suffer there needlessly because
Nigeria’s name is linked with credit card and fraud and ‘419.’
Politically, military rule has torn to shreds
the prestige due to our country because of its size and population.
The permanent seat at the United Nations
Security Council that should be rightfully ours, is all but lost.
For who will vote for Nigeria to get the seat
if Nigerian military rulers do not respect the votes of their own people?
Enough of military rule.
We are sickened to see people who have shown
little or no personal achievement, either in building up private businesses or
making success of any tangible thing, being placed in charge of the management
of our nation’s economy, by rulers who are not accountable to anyone.
Enough of square pegs in round holes.
We are tired of the military’s repetitive
tendency to experiment with our economy: Today, they say “no controls.”
Tomorrow; they say “Full controls”. The day after, they say “Fine tuning”. The
next day, they say “Devaluation.” A few days later, they say “Revalue the same
naira upwards again Abi?”
All we can see are the consequences of this
permanent game of military “about-turns;” high inflation, a huge budget deficit, and an enormous foreign debt repayment burden, dying industries, high
unemployment, and a demoralised populace.
Our youths, in particular, can see no hope on
the horizon, and many can only dream of escaping from our shores to join the
brain drain. Is this the Nigeria we want?
We are plagued also by periodic balance of payments
crises, which have led to a perennial shortage of essential drugs, that has
turned our hospitals and clinics into mortuaries.
A scarcity of books and equipment has
rendered our schools into desolate deserts of ignorance.
Our factories are crying for machinery, spare
parts and raw materials. But each day that passes, instead of these economic
diseases being cured, they are rather strengthened as an irrational allocation
of foreign exchange based on favouritism and corruption becomes the order of the
day.
Enough is enough of economic mismanagement!
People of Nigeria, during the election campaign last year, I presented you with
a programme entitled “HOPE ’93.”
This programme was aimed precisely at solving
these economic (problems) that have demoralised us all.
I toured every part of Nigeria to present
this programme to you the electorate. I was questioned on it at public rallies
and press conferences and I had the privilege of incorporating into it much of
the feedback that I obtained from the people.
Because you knew I would not only listen to
you but deliver superb results from the programme, you voted for me in your
millions and gave me an overwhelming majority over my opponent.
To be precise, you gave me 58.4 per cent of
the popular vote and a majority in 20 out of 30 states plus the Federal Capital
Territory, Abuja. Not only that, you also enabled me to fulfil the
constitutional requirement that the winner should obtain one-third of the votes
in two-thirds of the states.
I am sure that when you cast an eye on the
moribund state of Nigeria today, you ask yourselves: ‘What have we done to
deserve this, when we have a president-elect who can lead a government that can
change things for the better? Our patience has come to an end.’
As of now, from this moment, a new Government
of National Unity is in power throughout the length and breadth of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, led by me, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, as President and
Commander-in-Chief.
The National Assembly is hereby reconvened.
All dismissed governors are reinstated. The State Assemblies are reconstituted,
as are all local government councils.
I urge them to adopt a bi-partisan approach
to all the issues that come before them.
At the national level, a bi-partisan approach
will be our guiding principle. I call upon the usurper, General Sani Abacha, to
announce his resignation forthwith, together with the rest of his illegal
ruling council.
We are prepared to enter into negotiations
with them to work out the mechanics for a smooth transfer of power.
I pledge that if they hand over quietly, they
will be retired with all their entitlements, and their positions will be
accorded all the respect due to them.
For our objective is neither recrimination
nor witch-hunting, but an enforcement of the will of the Nigerian people, as
expressed in free elections conducted by the duly constituted authority of the
time.
I hereby invoke the mandate bestowed upon me
by my victory in the said election, to call on all members of the Armed Forces
and the Police, the Civil and Public Services throughout the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, to obey only the Government of National Unity that is headed by me,
your only elected President.
My Government of National Unity is the only
legitimate, constituted authority in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as of
now.
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