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Senate Asks FG To Pay Abiola's, Kingibe's Families Presidential Entitlements

The lawmakers made this call in Abuja on Thursday at the Senate's plenary a day after the President declared June 12 as Democracy Day.

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The Senate has asked the Federal Government to Pay the families of MKO Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe all entitlements due to them as President and Vice President respectively.

The lawmakers made this call in Abuja on Thursday at the Senate's plenary a day after the President declared June 12 as Democracy Day.

Going past their political differences, the lawmakers commended the President on the development but requested that both men be honoured to the letter.

Urging the Senate to ask the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the results of the 1993 presidential election, Senator Biodun Olujimi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said every right enjoyed by a President should be given to the families of the duo.

Agreeing to Senator Olujimi’s call, Senate President Bukola Saraki recalled the contribution and sacrifices of MKO Abiola to Nigeria’s democracy.

Pointing out that the country is yet to accord the late businessman and his family their deserved recognition, which he said were long overdue, she said: “I am sure that all of us, in one way or the other, have had the opportunity to interact with the man (Abiola) and we felt that the country has not given him and his family the recognition that they truly deserve.

“Let us leave it that Chief MKO Abiola represented all of us."

Agreeing to Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as public holiday, the Senate, in their resolution, insisted that May 29 remains the day for the inauguration of the President and newly elected officers.

The lawmakers asked the Federal Government to pay the entitlements due to Abiola’s family as President and Baba Gana Kingibe's as Vice President.

They also requested that INEC should declare the result of the famously annulled election.