EDOCSO MARKS JUNE 12 AS DEMOCRACY DAY, INSISTS THAT BEDC MUST GO

 

By Comrade Osazee Edigin

Members of Edo Civil Society Organisations marked democracy day in commemoration of the annulled 1993 presidential election that was to be the transition from military junta to civilian rule.

The election was to declare Chief MKO Abiola as the president of Nigeria which never happened due to the annulment by General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida who was the then head of state.

June 12 was recently recognized by the federal government of Nigeria putting aside May 29 which was before now celebrated as democracy day.

Activists and Journalists who put their lives on the line applauded the recognition of June 12 by the federal government owing to the sacrifices by the Nigerian people in ensuring that democracy was achieved at the end of the day.

The activists and journalists moved around major streets in Benin City with democracy messages blazing from the speakers at intermittent points, addressing the core reasons and dividends of democracy to the people.
Comrade Omobude Agho, the Coordinator General of Edo Civil Society Organisations told journalists that May 29 was military day not democracy day, saying that June 12 has always been the day recognized by activists as democracy day.

Leftist Agho lamented how present day politicians have ridiculed the democracy that cost the lives of activists and journalists with the massive looting currently going on in the country.
A stop-over at the abandoned Central Hospital project along Sapele Road brought the activists to tears looking at such a failed project that gulped billions of naira which was executed by a labour activist, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who is the immediate past governor of the state.

On electricity democracy, he argued that the handing over of four or more states to one DISCO to manage is not a democratic practice, noting that government must give room for competition in the Nigerian electricity supply industry.

He advocated for more distribution companies in each state of the country so as to attain efficiency and effectiveness in operations but insisted that the present Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) must go for lack of efficiency in service delivery.

The activists adorned themselves in shirts with the inscription ‘BEDC MUST GO’.

Agho tasked the federal government to encourage the use of alternative energy sources like solar, wind and mini grids, etc by giving zero or minimal import duties on such materials to enable citizens have access to them effortlessly.
The rally stopped over at the Nigeria Union of Journalists secretariat and was received by the state chairman, Sir, Roland Osakue who reminiscened on the June 12 struggle, even as he appreciated EDOCSO for taking out time in celebrating our democracy and agreed that the fight for the actualization of democracy was championed by activists and journalists which many lost their lives at the heat of it.

About Author