Furthermore in addition to what Ayo has writen, maybe we should continue to restate it over and over again: 'June 12 meant and represented different things to the different array of social forces who became engaged in the struggle against its anullment. For the current that eventually became the UAD, the anullment of the election vindicated our position and analysis on the insincerity of the IBB regime; the crisis engendered by its anullment presented an opportunity to mobilise and organise within an aroused mass of people to deepen our struggle for democracy and against dictatorship.
That was why the phrasing of our slogans and our demands were always carefully put in order to communicate our goals. Our support for and engagement with the struggle to revalidate June 12 election result was not a blank cheque. Attached to the demand for revalidation were a number of other significant demands: The winner to form a transitional government, the convening of a Sovereign National Conference [SNC] - for which we were clear that representation would be on the basis of organised social forces, including, but definitely not limited to ethnic formations.
So for whatever it is worth, there were several different strands of voices and platforms in the June 12 struggle...... infact from the testimony of the winner of the election and holder of the mandate himself, in his Epetedo declaration; there were those, including himself, who continued to rely on promises and negotiating secret agreements with the military establishment......
That said, let me end by paraphrasing Marx once again: 'People make history, but not as they wish, but shaped by their past and the dynamics of events swirling around them'.....like i said it is paraphrase not a quote!
In Solidarity,
Jaye Gaskia
From: Ayo Obe <ayo.m.o.obe@gmail.com>
To: "usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com" <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Cc: "chidi.opara@gmail.com" <chidi.opara@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2013 6:22 PM
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Bola Ahmed Tinubu: June 12 is our beacon in the dark--I suppose that the use of "so-called" is designed to indicate that those who fought for democracy in Nigeria - and are in many cases still fighting - for democracy are charlatans, fakes "bereft" as you say, "of ideals".What happened on June 12th was that Nigerians departed from the script set for them. They rejected the identity/religious politics that the Babangida administration imagined would scuttle the return to civilian rule and showed a capacity to rise above that. It was an election conducted in a way that more accurately reflected the actual votes cast than any other election held in the country.Is June 12th held up as "the epitome of democratic practice" by every pro-democracy activist? Quite obviously not. What one should understand is that June 12th 1993 was twenty years ago. Does anybody expect to step into the same river twice? When June 12th is marked, it is in recognition of how much more advanced our democratic journey would have been had the process started on June 12th continued. We would have elected - not a candidate anointed and installed by an outgoing military dictatorship - but one who might just possibly have understood that he owed his victory to the voters. Voters would have understood that too. Had we held fast to that, who knows where our understanding of accountability might be now.When the die-hard June 12ers insisted that it was "the freest and fairest election in Nigeria's history", many of us always add "on the day" in recognition of the limits of what was achieved. Some of those in the fight have shuffled off the mortal: I guess of these, Chima Ubani represented one end of the spectrum while Gani Fawehinmi was at the other. Indeed, when we formed United Action for Democracy, we got a lot of flak from Gani for not adopting a total "On June 12th we stand" position and I do recall writing about those who were fond of "sniping from the sidelines". Plus ça change, eh? There is always an undercurrent of ethnic tensions in discussions about June 12. Inside UAD (of which Gani was never a member) we worked hard to overcome that tendency and achieve a common platform from which to oppose military dictatorship. Outside it, well ... I guess the struggle continues.
AyoI invite you to follow me on Twitter @naijamaThat our so called pro-democracy activists would hold up the event of June 12th 1993 in Nigeria as the epitome of democratic practice shows how bereft of democratic ideals they are.CAO.
On Wednesday, 12 June 2013 14:41:49 UTC+1, Ayo Obe wrote:--Ikhide, are you hoping to get a rise out of anybody? Is that why you are wishing your days away? I'm sure you are a secret admirer of what Nigerians achieved on the actual day, June 12th 1993 (I say nothing of the process by which we reached that day) and are just burying your disappointment that we continue to have to look back because there isn't enough going forward from that day to celebrate or emulate.But if it is just a date on the calendar to you, live through it like any other day. After all, it's not as if someone tied your eye to Bola Tinubu or Hafsat Abiola Costello's remarks on the event being commemorated, is it?
AyoI invite you to follow me on Twitter @naijama--"June 12 shined the light of hope; its termination enveloped us in darkness. Some claim we regained civilian democracy in 1999; that claim is not completely true. What took place in 1999 and what is taking place now is but a shadow of June 12. Things are such that many wonder if we, having lost this great chance, will ever revisit the fullness of that moment. I pray we do. The fate of the nation and the over 150 million people occupying it hang in the balance. The past has not always been kind to us; we hope the future does what the past has not."- Bola Ahmed TinubuSigh, cannot wait for this stupid day to be over. June 12 my foot! Somebody tape his mouth shut!- IkhideStalk my blog at http://www.xokigbo.com/Follow me on Twitter: @ikhideJoin me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhide
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