I was excited that Ekiti State PDP, of all groups, fresh from the shameful and abhorrent manner it manipulated the April 25 re-run elections to concoct a dented victory for itself, decided to also celebrate June 12. I was not really put off that a cache of characters that wear reactionary toga and do everything to live up to it, including indulging in a day light robbery of electoral mandates have signed up to the June 12 celebration. Rather, I nursed the optimism that gradually, that historic date that reified our lost opportunity, is being eagerly subscribed to by more Nigerians and here, I nursed the hope that somehow they will come to imbibe the noble virtues of that date.

But like the legendary leopard that sheds not its skin, Ekiti PDP did not disappoint on its own queer version of June 12 celebration. When they finished their awkward celebration, it was obvious that they intended to rather rubbish that date than celebrate its high points, which are unarguably positive. The key speaker at Ekiti PDP’s June 12 celebration was no other person than that quisling and character that not only betrayed the lots of Nigerian workers but remained perpetually committed to the fight against not only June 12 but also any progressive ideal since he accidentally happened on the national stage. An avowed turncoat and irrepressible opportunist, Paschal Bafyau has never hidden his predilection to reactionary politics even when he posed with leading progressive politicians in Nigeria. This bestial character was generously laundered as the military foraged the Nigerian space for willing collaborators and allies to sustain the criminal annulment and Bafyau became an official spokesman of the forces that wrought that decrementing act.

So in importing to talk to them on "Impact of June 12 on Nigeria's Democratic Experience," the Ekiti PDP that lays no claim to a worthier ideal, meant to further bring June 12 and what it represents to public scorn and ridicule. I wonder which well meaning group, people by avid democrats and avowed believers of the limitless but aborted possibilities which June 12 represents will hire an agent and collaborator like Paschal Bafyau to amuse it with nauseating narratives of a national tragedy he helped tremendously in fangling.

Let us take a sneak preview of Bafyau’s June 12 lecture to Ekiti PDP. June 12 was annulled because Abiola sidestepped his choice for Vice President, in preference to Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, another voluble sell out. Hear him further;

"I was the one who convinced Abiola to vie for the Presidency. Even, when he was hesitant, I pressurized him not to entertain fear that he was going to win the election, because really, he did not know he was popular.

"He had a pact with the military to make me the vice presidential candidate, but pressure from his party made him change his mind overnight and that was the genesis of the crisis.

"All efforts (were made) to convince Babangida not to rubbish the good work he had done, having conducted the freest and fairest elections at all levels then, but he refused to listen because it was the resolution reached by the military top brass,"

The above quotes captured this hireling’s account of such a monumental event that exerted tremendous sacrifices from Nigerians and is still counting. There is no doubt that only such a group as Ekiti PDP will sit down and listen to this jeremiad from a flimsy character that worked in collaboration with the military to divide the labour force and render it a weak collaborator to the devilish Babangida regime in its quest for uncensored power. This was a time what remained of organized labour was the unbreakable will of the Frank Kokori-led NUPENG, which provided an unbending bulwark against the Bafyaus and their besotted and vice-driven masters in their resolve to ensure that June 12 remained annulled. But then, we shall be stretching the bounds of decency if we as much read much into the cartel that calls itself Ekiti PDP. Their shameful showing just last April says a lot about them and I know that if June 12 were to be animate, it would be loudly protesting the profanity to which Ekiti PDP, in cahoots with Bafyau tried to put it through.

To understand the impropriety of any group just hauling the effigy of June 12 for whatever relevance they want to tap from it, we must re-visit the core issue that still sustain that date even when some of those that today mock it in the name of celebrating would wish it should be consigned to the dung heaps of history. These core issues include;

· A free and fair electoral process where the people decide who governs them,

· The choice of the best candidate irrespective of tribe, tongue or religion,

· The eschewing of divisive sentiments that engender mediocrity,

· The placement of national interests far above selfish and primordial benefits.

All these and many more will therefore disallow the bestial inclination to kill, maim, pillage so as to steal the mandates of the people, as the Ekiti PDP did the other day. These will ensure that contestants humbly submit themselves to the wishes and desires of the electorates during an election and accept the democratic choice of the people in such situation. This is the most important and most viable import of June 12. The suppression of that right of free expression is the reason for the June 12 disaster and accounts for why things have gone irredeemably awry in Nigeria today. Because such remains at the very soul of democracy, this interface must be struck for any group to honestly partake in the annual celebration of June 12. It is obvious that in suddenly happening on the celebration of June 12, Ekiti PDP is cluelessly trying its hands on image-laundering after the bizarre parody of the Ekiti re-run election. It is a pity this it showed its clumsiness in the choice of character it chose to talk to it on such a hallowed topic as June 12.

In light of the shameful parody of April 25, concocted by the presidency, the PDP, both at national, south west and Ekiti levels, INEC and the security agencies, can we ever believe that the Ekiti PDP doesn’t have an intent to humour and ridicule June 12 this year that it went as far as importing a notable black leg to the struggle to treat it with pre-fabricated, watery and sparse fiction on why that monumental tragedy was levied on the country by Babangida and his hirelings? Ekiti PDP is the least group to speak about June 12 or even pretend to celebrate it because their actions are negative anathemas to June 12 and what it represents. They gain nothing thinking they can negatively recreate June 12 as they did this year and when every body knows the source of their artificial strength, it becomes a double tragedy. It was as if they know that no one would take them serious when they talk about June 12 and that may have been the reason they went to recruit an enemy of June 12 to talk to them about June 12. he gave them what they wanted, which is meant to distract than build on the strength of that historical date and its capacity to enhance our individual and group behaviors in all we do.

I wont be surprised if tomorrow, Babangida, Obasanjo, Buba Marwa, David Mark, Ernest Shonekan, Tunde Ogbeha, Oladipo Diya and their entire ilk gather to celebrate June 12 and maybe, invite Halilu Akilu to be the guest speaker. You know what their intent would be, just as the Ekiti PDP’s.

Peter Claver Oparah.

Ikeja Lagos.

E-mail: peterclaver2000@yahoo.com

Robot  # 1 | 16.06.2009 21:58

I was excited that Ekiti State PDP, of all groups, fresh from the shameful and abhorrent manner it manipulated the April 25 re-run elections to concoct a dented victory for itself, decided to also celebrate June 12. I was not really put off that a cache of characters that wear reactionary toga and do everything to live up to it, including indulging in a day light robbery of electoral mandates have signed up to the June 12 celebration. Rather, I nursed the optimism that gradually, that historic date that reified our lost opportunity, is being eagerly subscribed to by more Nigerians and here, I nursed the hope that somehow they will come to imbibe the noble virtues of that date. But like the legendary leopard that sheds not its skin, Ekiti PDP did not disappoint on its own queer version of June 12 celebration. When they finished their awkward celebration, it was obvious that they intended to rather rubbish that date than celebrate its high points, which are unarguably po...Read the full article.