THE family of the late MKO Abiola has called on the Federal Government to declare him winner and pay presidential entitle­ments.

Muritala Abiola, head of the family, made the request yesterday during the commemoration of the June 12 election.

The event organised by the Ogun State gov­ernment, started with a democracy walk from the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta to the Oke Ido ancestral home of the Abiolas.

Muritala, who is the younger brother of the late business mogul, said Abiola deserved the entitlement for dying for the enthrone­ment of democracy in the country.

“First, we want the Fed­eral Government to declare June 12 as democracy day. It should do even more than that,” he said.

“Ken Saro-Wiwa died fighting over Ogoni oil spillage, the Federal Gov­ernment is doing the clean­ing up of the oil spillage in Ogoniland.

“MKO was killed because of an election he won; may be it is you journalists or the Nigerian government calling him ac­claimed winner; He is not acclaimed winner. They should confirm him as slain president of Nigeria. MKO should be declared president. Although slain, all the entitlements belong to the family,” he said.

Murtala, however, thanked the state govern­ment for keeping the memory of Abiola alive by staging a democracy walk in the last five years.

He appealed to the state government to return the school established by the late Abiola – Salawu Abi­ola Comprehensive High School, Osiele, Abeokuta – to the family to administer.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun, said everyone knew that Abiola was the adjudged winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, saying: “We have been organising the de­mocracy walk and identify­ing with the Abiola family for the past five years that this administration has been in government. He was a philanthropist and the hero of our current democracy.”

Amosun, who was represented by the deputy governor, Yetunde Onanu­ga described the late Abiola as the hero of the nation’s current democracy.