The Coalition for a Better Nigeria, a civil society organisation, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to do more in promoting the rule of law to deepen democracy.
The National Coordinator of the Coalition, Bamiji Awa, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.
Awa, however, commended the President for declaring “June 12 Struggle” the Democracy Day.
“The declaration of June 12 as a Democracy Day is a welcome development. That has to be applauded by all of us in the civil societies.
“President Buhari has made the struggle national. For a public holiday to be declared nationwide is a victory to democracy.
“To deepen democracy, there is the need to promote rule of law, fundamental human rights and true federalism,” Awa said.
He also urged the President to pay the family of late winner of the annulled June 12 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, all entitlements due to him as President-elect.
“I think to deepen democracy, MKO Abiola should now be declared posthumously as the President of Nigeria.
“And all the benefits due to him since 1993 till date, should be paid even if not in full, let them be paid in instalments to the family.
“That is the only way people would know that Nigeria means business. It has to go beyond declaring June 12 as a Democracy Day,” Awa said.
NAN reports that Nigeria now marks its Democracy Day on June 12 annually instead of May 29. (NAN)
