Okwe Obi, Abuja

The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has described the conferment of the late Moshood Abiola, winner of the June 12th, 1998, presidential election with the title of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFR) by President Muhammadu Buhari as a ‘Greek Gift’, geared towards scoring cheap political points.

President Buhari had, on Wednesday, named Abiola winner of 1993 presidential election that was annulled by former head of state, Ibrahim Babaginda, a holder of the Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, 20 years after his deaths in 1998.

Also, Gani Fawehinmi, a rights advocate, was also posthumously honoured with the Grand Commander of Nigeria (GCON) by Mr Buhari. Mr Fawehinmi died in 2009 at 71.

Chairman of ADP, Yabaji Sani, who, disclosed this yesterday, in Abuja, to mark the party’s one year anniversary, however, said the party was not against conferments but the government should have an altruistic reasons for the honours.

According to Sani:” it is in the best interest of the country. But sometimes, you have to weigh it against the politics of the time. Is it not a Greek Gift? Is it is not to appease certain people to patronise in a particular section of the country?”

Sani, further added that ” I think we must go beyond playing politics with the future of the country.

“I am not saying personalities should not be honoured. We need to honour them so that others will emulate them. But it should be done in a proper way for us to know that it is altruistic reasons and not for twisted political reasons,” he added.

Speaking on the future of the party for Nigeria, he said “after a thorough research the party has encapsulated an economic blueprint anchored on free trade and private sector participation as the core driver of the economy.

“We will assist innovative private firms and individuals with guaranteed loans to invest in the economy while we regulate their activities “