In commemoration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged to recognise ‘Activists and Martyrs’, and others who fought and lost their lives in the struggle to sustain the nation’s democracy.
This year’s Democracy Day celebration makes it the 32nd year after the then military government annulled the historic June 12, 1993, Presidential election won by late Chief MKO Abiola, hence prominent civil society organisations have stressed the need for Tinubu to accord due recognition to so many unsung heroes who fought for the actualization of democracy in Nigeria.
The duo of Defend Nigeria Movement (DNM) and Nigeria’s Unite for Democracy (NUD) made the call at a world press conference held on Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Lagos, noting that while some prominent activists were given the desired honor, too many ordinary people are forgotten.
The Convener of the coalition, Comrade Razaq Olokooba said the conference was in commemoration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day and the 32nd year anniversary of the historic June 12 1993 presidential election won by late Chief MKO Abiola.
Olokooba in his word stated: “I welcome you all with profound gratitude, particularly to our falling fighters in the anti-military struggles, who were murdered or martyred across the streets of our beloved country with the hope that the survivors will keep the dream alive so that our struggle and efforts shall not be in vain and the surviving June 12 activists with tremendous nostalgia, because in retrospect we have been on a journey of no return most especially when we are yet to reach our destination, in other words, our dream remains a dream.
“That historic election, which has been variously adjudged as the freest and fairest election in Nigeria’s history, was sadly and treasonably annulled by the General Ibrahim Babangida military junta for his interest of self-perpetuation in power.
“However, Nigerians in unison with a common destiny, rose in stout defiance of the guns and bullets to insist on the de-annulment of the election at great cost of loss of human lives, limbs, property and freedom which culminated in the forced retreat of the military from Nigeria’s political life and birth the current democratic dispensation on May 29, 1999.
The groups noted that June 12 has become a symbol of national unity and consciousness, showcasing Nigerians’ ability to unite around an ideology despite our differences.
They added, “The annulment of the June 12 election didn’t just mark a turning point in Nigeria’s democratic journey, it is also a symbol of our democratic culture, resilience, and self-awareness. This event has inspired a bibliography of its own, highlighting its significance in Nigeria’s history.
“The declaration of June 12 as a national public holiday by President Muhammadu Buhari has given the epoch its pride of place in Nigeria’s socio-political calendar. This move has helped to promote the value and symbolism of June 12. However, we need to deepen the gains of the lessons of June 12.
“We must use this medium to congratulate Nigerians for keeping faith with democracy despite the challenges that confront us as a people with 26 years of an unprecedented and unbroken democratic system and like the saying goes, a people united, can never be defeated.
“While acknowledging the initial pains and inconvenience, we congratulate and commend President Bola Tinubu for his bold and daring economic reforms, which have extinguished the hemorrhaging of our economy through the termination of the fuel subsidy regime and the unification of the foreign exchange system. By these two critical policies, the President Tinubu administration has saved the country the loss of about $10bn annually in the last two years and the result is that the three tiers of government now receive almost triple their allocations from the federation account to enable them to provide the dividends of democracy to the citizenry,” the Convener stated.
Olokooba further stated: “We can all see the gains of the economic re-engineering of the President Bola Tinubu administration begin to manifest in infrastructural renewal as well as other policies which are making positive impacts in every other sector of the Nigerian economy, for example, Lagos Calabar Coastal highway, Lagos Sokoto highway, naira for crude, NELFUND, tax reforms bills, etc.
“However, as much as we are holding the federal government accountable for its account of stewardship in the last two years of the President Bola Tinubu administration, it is very important for us to demand the same from our states and local government councils administration who are beneficiaries of this unprecedented largesse from the federation account now.”
While reiterating the foundation laid by the President in Lagos State, the groups stated, “Importantly, special mention must be made of Mr. Babajide Sanwo Olu the executive governor of Lagos State who has continued on the templates for political, economic and infrastructural development of the state as laid down in the state by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the then governor of the state. Without a blink of an eye, Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu has not only sustained the developmental architecture of the state, but he continues to sustain the progressive legacies left behind by President Tinubu’s administration in the state.
“This notwithstanding, there is a compelling need to deepen the gains of the lessons of June 12.
“There is no administration since 1999 that can be acknowledged as the Baby of the June 12 struggle than the present administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This is not only because the President was a key player among those who made sacrifices in those days and who, later as governor of Lagos State was adept at innovations towards development and defiance of authoritarian central government, but also because of its richness in progressive elements and democrats.
“It is therefore not surprising that alongside policies geared towards economic and socio-political transformation, the government has also not forgotten the heroes of the past. This cannot be denied and we are not about to do that.
“However, we make bold to state that this recognition appears to have been one-sided. The heroic deeds of the grassroots people defined that struggle. Their resilience bore the banner forward and their sweet and blood watered the flowers of struggle. Too many unsung heroes. Too many forgotten ordinary people. President Tinubu, himself
a player in the board room and in the street of struggle, need to pay attention to this.
“Therefore, we demand that the President give due recognition to the Coalition of June 12 Activists and Martyrs.
“There should also be a monument to the unsung heroes of June 12. They are our own unknown soldiers.
“The government at all levels needs to urgently address security issues by leveraging technology and community participation. State police and community policing have become a matter of urgency, beyond rhetorics and sentimental considerations. Security in the real sense should be the duty of the people, not as empty declarations but with indigenous and innovative inputs.”
