Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu had the highest number of vote in the 1992 senatorial election in Nigeria.
Other senators-elect wanted him to be the senate president and he wanted it too.
He was a brilliant, rich and influential young senator.
But before the senate could choose, Abiola had indicated interest to contest for president of Nigeria.
Tinubu immediately withdrew his ambition because he felt that it would damage Abiola’s chances of winning SDP presidential ticket since both of them were from SW.
That was how Dr Iyorchia Ayu became the senate president instead of Bola Tinubu.
Abiola went for the election and won both the primaries and the general elections.
That election was annulled by the Babangida military junta for no just cause.
Tinubu wasn’t the only one that was involved in the struggle to get the mandate back but he alongside Pa Rewane were the major financiers of NADECO.
Tinubu became a target of the Abacha men but he escaped through Benin Republic bother to US.
Tinubu retuned to Nigeria after the death of Gen Sani Abacha and rode to the seat of the governor of Lagos state mainly because of his role in the June 12 struggle.
When Obasanjo became the president too based on the June 12 injustice, Tinubu approached him several times on the need to honour the memory of Abiola and June 12 but Obj did nothing. When he was asked by Abdulsalami to choose the day he wanted to be sworn in, he choose the funny date of May 29.
When Jonathan came and same pressure was mounted on him and he wanted to be re-elected, he opted to name University of Lagos Moshood Abiola University, MAU.
It was rejected.
Buhari became the president after him and Tinubu went to him too but this time, Asiwaju was lucky.
President Muhammadu Buhari gave Abiola a posthumous greatest award in Nigeria, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic and Fawehinmi the Grand Commander of Nigeria and named June 12 Democracy Day.
President Buhari apologized to the family of Abiola on behalf the Nigerian state.
Next year’s June 12 Democracy Day shall be celebrated with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president by the grace of God.
Happy Democracy Day.
