Federal Government Plans Big For M.K.O Abiola’s Wives

The Federal Government may be planning big for the wives of the late widely acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O Abiola.

It plans to put them on pension, a development that would further help to assuage the feelings of the family.

A high government source told The Nation that also to be considered in the gesture is the running mate of the late politician, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe.

It said the gesture would be pursed via the proposition of  an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for passage.

Late M.K.O Abiola was a flamboyant Nigerian politician and multi-billionaire who had touched hearts across the land via his philanthropic gestures.

He also set up and ran a now defunct newspaper organisation, Concord Press, an airline company, Concord Airline as well as a football club, Abiola Babes Football Club.

He garnered tremendous support across ethnic divides the moment he indicated interest in contesting the nation’s presidency had Ambassador Babagana Kingibe as his running mate.

Though many people had expressed pessimism that the Muslim-Muslim ticket would affect the fortunes of his party, the duo did tremendously at the polls and were on the way to winning before the elections were annulled by the military regime of now late Gen Sani Abacha.

 Abiola was incarcerated in his bid to claim the mandate  and later died in custody on July 8, 1998.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari decided to honour the late M.K.O Abiola by declaring June 12 Democracy Day in place of May 29; gave Abiola the highest national honour – Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) – posthumous and officially recognize his victory in that election. Kingibe was awarded the second national honour, The Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).

Despite these moves by the current administration, some Nigerians still believe that the administration has not done enough to enthrone a people-oriented democracy.

They cite the soar-away inflation in the country, and the lack of jobs for the youth, asserting that the much promised change that mobilised Nigerians’ votes for Buhari had not been justified.

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Can pensions fort the M.K.O Abiola and Kingibe families assuage the feelings of Nigerians?