The most senior officer among the 1990 Gideon Orkah military coupists, Col. Tony Nyiam and a faction of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) loyal to the founder, the late Dr Fredrick Fasehun, have faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his failure to acknowledge efforts of some prominent Nigerians that fought and paid supreme prices for the agitation and actualisation of June 12 1993 presidential election, which was annulled by erstwhile military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
In separate conversations with The Guardian, yesterday, Nyiam and OPC said it was unbelievable that Tinubu, who was also part of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) struggle to actualise the June 12 mandate of the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, could have omitted the names like Alao Aka Bashorun, Dr Fredrick Fasehun, Baba Omojola and host of others.
Nyiam said that Tinubu’s forgetfulness might have come from the fact that there was, at least, one of the betrayals of Abiola as a key member of the team that compiled the names of the heroes mentioned.
In another reaction, OPC’s President, Wasiu Afolabi, described Tinubu’s forgetfulness to acknowledge those heroes of June 12 in the 2024 Democracy Day broadcast as a mark of ingratitude.
Afolabi said that the OPC, which was founded by Fasehun, worked for Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 elections and neither he nor his handlers had bothered to acknowledge their efforts.
The OPC President, while lamenting that it took the family and estate of Fasehun to blow their father’s June 12 trumpet, recalled that the late medical doctor-turned-activist had sacrificed his livelihood and liberty to fight for the actualisation of Abiola’s mandate and restoration of democracy through OPC and NADECO.
“Fasehun was jailed several times. Hundreds of innocent OPC members were killed. Some were arrested, jailed, maimed for life and extra-judicially slaughtered by agents of former military despot, Gen. Sani Abacha.
“Just as Fasehun taught us, OPC regarded Tinubu as a southern project and Yoruba interest; and we mobilised for his victory. After the win, it appears like they used and dumped us. Are they neglecting OPC because we are not herdsmen, terrorists, bandits or militants, who are being showered with Nigeria’s resources in the name of amnesty?” he said.
