The Lagos State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Femi Olaniyi, has said the party remains committed to what he described as the “unfinished business” of the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by the late Chief MKO Abiola, calling for renewed commitment to credible elections, people-centred governance and national unity.
In a Democracy Day statement issued on Friday and titled “Completing Abiola’s Unfinished Business”, Olaniyi said June 12 remains a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic history, when Nigerians, under the SDP platform, voted overwhelmingly for what he described as hope, justice and a better life.
He recalled that the 1993 election was more than a political contest, but a “covenant between leaders and the people,” adding that Nigerians at the time chose what he called “hope over fear” and rallied behind Abiola and the SDP’s “Farewell to Poverty” vision.
“June 12 was not just an election. It was a covenant between the leaders and the people. A covenant that the government must be just, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the poor.
“The Social Democratic Party of today is the custodian of that covenant. While others have changed names and platforms, SDP remains the party that June 12 was fought for. The ideals are the same: social justice, equity, and government for the people, by the people,” he said.
