Punch Newspaper: You think so? Sen Owie: Yes, let me tell you. Before anyone can say that the annulment was evil they should answer four questions. Number one, who was that politician that brought what was called the Maroko land deal to limelight? Who was that politician who used the Maroko land deal as an albatross on the neck of Chief Obafemi Awolowo? Who is that Nigerian or group of Nigerians who went to Obasanjo and connived with him and removed the Electoral College act from the decree of 1978? Who is that politician or group of politicians that aided the military to take over the government of President Shehu Shagari in 1983 after the NPN convention? Who is that politician? Who is that politician that aided the military in disqualifying all the major candidates of SDP and NRC? I say if they can answer it and the answer is negative for MKO Abiola, then the annulment of June 12 is evil. But if the answer is yes and it’s MKO Abiola, the annulment of June 12 was the best thing that happened because you can’t plant mango and reap yam. In 1979 I was in the UPN as a member of the House of Representatives and there was a provision in the transition decree of 1978/79 which made provision for Electoral College if the presidential election became inconclusive, and it really was inconclusive, because Shagari did not get two-third of the 19 states. So, we were preparing for Electoral College. NPP, GNPP, PRP and UPN we had majority in the National Assembly which constituted the Electoral College. The late Mallam Aminu Kano of PRP, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim of GNPP, Nnamdi Azikiwe of NPP and Awolowo of UPN had met and we had all met. But three days to the Electoral College Obasanjo removed the clause on Electoral College; he removed the goal post within the run of play. Sen. Owie The Electoral College was removed after the election when we were getting ready for it and that was why Awolowo had no other option and he had to go to court and the judgment gave rise to the issue of 12 2/3! A human being cannot be half, he is either full or… and that is why Justice Sowemimo said that that judgment cannot be quoted in future. Abiola and Obasanjo were involved as Egbas to remove that clause. Concord brought the headline “Maroko land: Awolowo where is your sincerity”. We were in Minna when it was published. Look it deflated the old man, it scattered him, in fact, he was no longer himself and he started battling how to explain. Now NPN went for their national convention in Kano and Umaru Dikko, he is alive, he said the presidential candidate of the NPN is not for sale. MKO Abiola wanted the presidential ticket he didn’t get it and he then came and aligned with the military people who now came in. And IBB came and set up two political parties, Shehu Yar‘adua, Adamu Ciroma and other major contenders in SDP and NRC, overnight the military disqualified all of them, aided and abetted by MKO Abiola. Because if Yar‘adua were (involved) there was no way MKO would have won. He was not even in contention until the disqualification of these major contenders. That is why I said that June 12 was a repayment for evil that was done against other people.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:22:52 +0000
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