June 12 Motion Splits Reps - Over Attempt To Name Aso Rock After MKO Abiola

27.06.2009

SPIRITED moves by 35 members of the House of Representatives to ensure the immortalisation of late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola by naming the Presidential Villa after him through a house motion, are being stiffly rebuffed by members who felt the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election never merited such honour.

Saturday Tribune learnt that the pro-Abiola members of the House, led by Honourable Patrick Obahiagbon, had deemed it fit to push for a posthumous honour for the late symbol of June 12, whereas a few of their colleagues, mostly the conservative members, had been blocking the moves.

The pro-Abiola members had earlier perfected a motion seeking to revalidate the June 12 election results with Abiola being posthumously declared as the winner, if only for him to enjoy the rights and privileges due to any former president of Nigeria.

The motion by the lawmakers specifically sought to rename the Aso Rock Presidential Villa as Chief MKO Abiola Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of moves for his immortalisation, on the grounds that he sacrificed his life for the growth of democracy in Nigeria.

The motion to this effect, Saturday Tribune learnt, was to have been moved on the floor of the House in April ahead of June 12 anniversary, as the sponsors were said to have mobilised the leadership behind it, only for the opponents to scuttle the process of fixing it for debate by pressurising the relevant authorities to halt the process.