As reactions continue to trail the recent award of the highest honour in the land, GCFR to the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections, MKO Abiola, his daughter Tundun Abiola has taken to the social media to call out Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye over his comment on the matter.
Recall that few days ago, President Muhammadu Buhari, apart from awarding GCFR to Abiola, declared June 12 the official Democracy Day for the country. Reacting to the development, Senator Melaye had condemned the award, claiming that Abiola, at death was no longer a Nigerian.
Senator Melaye who had earlier called for the declaration of June 12 as democracy day and the recognition of Abiola as the winner of the election, later recanted his position in a brief statement posted on his Facebook page. He maintained that he was in support of government decision but urged President Buhari to address the attendant constitutional issues raised from different quarters.
Apparently oblivious of Melaye's new position, Abiola's daughter called out the Kogi lawmaker. Speaking on Channels TV, Tundun said Melaye's position was laughable and unfortunate as he was enjoying the democracy for which her father died for.
“I thought it was a laughable statement, but I’m really happy that Dino Melaye can stand in the Senate and make laughable statements. People like my father gave their lives for Dino Melaye to stand in the Senate and talk such rubbish, quite frankly.
“If we were still under the military, would he be able to do that? This is the beauty of democracy. Any honour that can be given should be given, and he is a Nigerian. It holds no water, Dino Melaye’s argument.
“He has every right to make an argument, this is the role of the opposition in a robust democracy and he’s doing that, but, for goodness’ sake, let the argument be logical and sensible.
“Is he going to propose that somebody like Awolowo who’s also a GCFR holder should be stripped of his title because he’s died? I mean, it’s ridiculous
“Moral indignation is also a part of human nature but that’s not what I’m hearing from Mr Melaye; he’s just being petty in the guise of moral indignation.”
Meanwhile, efforts to have Melaye respond to Tundun failed as he neither answered his phone nor replied text messages sent to him.
