The Coalition for a Better Nigeria, a civil society organisation, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare MKO Abiola as Nigeria’s president posthumously.

Mr Abiola was the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election.

It also urged Mr Buhari to pay the family of the late winner of the annulled June 12 presidential election all entitlements due to him as president-elect.

“I think to deepen democracy, MKO Abiola should now be declared posthumously as the President of Nigeria. All the benefits due to him since 1993 to date should be paid even if not in full, let them be paid in instalments to the family.

“That is the only way people would know that Nigeria means business. It has to go beyond declaring June 12 as a Democracy Day,” said the group.

The coalition also urged Mr Buhari to do more in promoting the rule of law to deepen democracy.

The coalition’s national coordinator Bamiji Awa commended Mr Buhari for declaring June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

“The declaration of June 12 as a Democracy Day is a welcome development. That has to be applauded by all of us in civil societies.

“President Buhari has made the struggle national. For a public holiday to be declared nationwide is a victory to democracy.

“To deepen democracy, there is the need to promote the rule of law, fundamental human rights, and true federalism,” Mr Awa said.