I can’t remember June 12 without shedding tears — Ojudu

The former Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, says he was always in tears whenever the remembrance of the annulled June 12 election comes to mind.

Ojudu made the assertion in an interview with our reporter at the Serie-2 Colloquium in honour of a safety icon, Dr Bamisayo Oluwagbemi, held at De Rembrandt Hotel, Ikeja, on Thursday.

The theme of the posthumous colloquium is “Legacy of Service and People-Safety in Contemporary Nigeria”.

Ojudu said that June 12 was not about Abiola the presumed winner of the election alone, but a day that unites all Nigerians to form a common front for the democracy.

“For June 12, it is what Abiola died for, his wife, Gen. Sani Abacha and other heroes of democracy known and unknown.

“We should realise that those that died have relations and dependents, these people shed tears as well. June 12 is an important day for all Nigerians.

“Now that government has gone ahead to address the issues surrounding that day, people will now have relief for their loved ones that they did not die in vain.

“Just as the President Buhari has said in his speech that government has not forgotten the day, we need to make more sacrifice which will be beyond naming a stadium after him,” he said.

Ojudu said that the significance of June 12 was more of the fact that Nigerians during the elections were more united in purpose to achieve a free and fair election.

“The June 12 anniversary reminds us of the day Nigerians were united in purpose to vote in a free and fair election when they did not mind religion and cultural background.

“It is a day Nigerians believed that they were liberating themselves from the military dictatorships but was terminated by the then president, so, for me, we need to do more.

“We need to have a museum in the remembrance of June 12 which does not lie within the capacity of government alone but individuals as well; we should not be waiting on government.

“The museum will be in remembrance and memorabilia of the day, so that the next generation will have something as a reference point, something we have in advanced countries,” he said.