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Daughter of the late winner of June 12 Presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, has appreciated the gesture of the Federal Government of Nigeria to honour her late father and other heroes of the June 12 1993 election.
At the award ceremony held June 12 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal capital, first son of the late Abiola, Chief Kola Abiola asked his sister Hafsat to deliver her speech on behalf of the family.
In an emotional tone, Hafsat, who also lost her mother, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola to the struggle of the actualisation of Abiola’s mandate appreciated Buhari for being the one used to finally honour the June 12 struggle.
According to her, it was a great gesture by the Buhari-led administration. “Given the relationship that you had with M.KO. Abiola and that you will be the one to be used to hobour this man,” Abiola-Costello was appreciative on behalf of the Abiola family.
Accepting Buhari’s apology to the family of the late Abiola, Abiola-Costello said, “You apologized to my family and it touched my heart. You know that I lost also my mother in this struggle so that apology means so much.”
Abiola-Costello, who appreciated her brother, Kola Abiola for giving her the opportunity to speak at the event however seized the opportunity to also appologise to President Muhammadu Buhari on behalf of the late Abiola.
“Let me use this opportunity on behalf of Chief M.K.O. Abiola because I know what he would have done. Let me use this opportunity to apologise to you and to apologise to your family for anything he might have done to harm you and to harm your family.
“Let me say to you that by recognizing June 12, you have awaken so many heroes of the Nigerian struggles,” she remarked.
She also told Buhari that, “This fight will not take you as it has taken MKO but let us fight and bring about the conclusion of MKO’s struggle that the Nigerian people should be the ones in full control of this country.”
Several other players of the June 12 1993 election were honoured at the event while some of them present gave their comments in appreciation to the Federal Government for recognizing the struggle after 25 years.
