Buhari Pulls All The Stops To Woo Southwest; Invites Kokori, Soyinka For Abiola Honour
The Oasis Reporters
June 8, 2018
One Niger deltan who would drop a tear of joy at the invitation from the Federal government in honour of Bashorun MKO Abiola, is Frank Kokori.
Chief Kokori staked it all as the president of Nigeria’s oil workers union, NUPENG with a crippling nationwide petrol strike unless the military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha restored the June 12 election winner’s mandate, Chief Abiola. The action scared Abacha so much, he devised a snare using a Secret Service agent who mimicked Segun Osoba’s voice on the telephone expertly and smoked Kokori out hiding.
Throughout Abacha’s tenure, Kokori remained in jail until the dictator died.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha on Friday released a statement with the list of guests invited for the ceremony of the conferment of national honours on Chief Moshood Abiola; late prominent lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi and politician, Babagana Kingibe.
Here is the full statement below:
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HONOURS JUNE 12 PRO-DEMOCRACY HEROES
Following the historic designation of June 12 as DEMOCRACY DAY and NATIONAL HOLIDAY, Muhammadu Buhari, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, will confer Posthumous national honours on Chief M.K.O. Abiola as Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), Chief Gani Fawehinmi as the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). He will also decorate Ambassador Babagana Kingibe with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), at an investiture scheduled to take place as follows:-
DATE: Tuesday, June 12 2018
VENUE: Conference Hall, State House, Aso Rock Villa, Abuja
TIME: 10.00 am
2. Accordingly, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, the family of the late Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola and that of Chief Gani Fawehinmi , along with the underlisted key players of June 12 struggle are cordially invited:
· Members of the National Executive Committee of the SDP including States Chairmen and Secretaries at the time of June 12, 1993
· Governors elected under SDP platform
· Former Senate Presidents – Iyorchia Ayu and Ameh Ebute and Speaker Agunwa Anaekwe along with Principal Officers of the National Assembly elected under SDP platform
· Speakers of the States Assembly elected under SDP platform
· All Chairmen of the States Traditional Councils from the six South-Western States
· Prof. Wole Soyinka
· Mr. Femi Falana, SAN
· Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
· Chief Bisi Akande
· Ms. Ayo Obe
· Bayo Onanuga – The News
· Kunle Ajibade – Tempo
· Nosa Igiebor – Tell
· Kayode Komolafe – Media Hope 93
· Senator Jonathan Zwingina – DG Hope 93
· Comrade Frank Ovie Kokori
· Prof. Humphrey Nwosu
3. Also invited are Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Principal Officers of the National Assembly, Members of the Federal Executive Council and all State Governors.
4. Accommodation has been reserved for all invitees at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Tafawa Balewa Way, area 11, Garki, Abuja from Monday, 11th June 2018.
For further inquiries please contact William Alo, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation by telephone on +234 803 585 4332.
5. Invitation letters have been despatched. However, should the invitation arrive late, this publication serves as a formal invitation.
Signed
Boss Mustapha
Secretary to the Government of the Federation
