THE family of the late human right lawyer and activist, Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) has accepted the posthumous honour bestowed on the late lawyer by President Muhammadu Buhari.
President Buhari had on Tuesday awarded the highest honour of the land, GCFR to the late Chief MKO Abiola and declared June 12 as the new democracy day. Abiola’s running mate, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe was also awarded alongside the late, human righter fighter the title of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Speaking on behalf of the family in a Channels Television programme, Politics Today, Thursday, the son of the late lawyer, Mr Mohammad Fawehinmi said the family has no option than to accept the award, adding that it is a recognition of the selfless services his father rendered the nation.
Fawehinmi said: “The family is happy that what the late Gani Fawehinmi agitated for and what a lot of other civil society groups fight for has now come to fruition and we are going to accept this award.”
He said he did not believe that President Buhari gave out the award for any political gain as insinuated in some quarters.
He said, “This is something Nigeria wanted 25years ago. We were denied the possibility of MKO ruling us in June 12 and it is best to set the record straight which is what president Buhari has done now.”
He also chided former president, Olusegun Obasanjo saying the past president refused to honour Abiola despite that many people were sent to beg him to do so.
“Notable politicians went to beg Obasanjo, he refused. That is when we understood that Obasanjo hated Abiola not just from secondary school but even in politics”, Fawehinmi said.
