President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, says Nigeria’s ability to govern itself 21 years after June 12, 1993 election shows that democratic rule has come to stay in the country.
He said this in a ‘Democracy Day message to Nigerians’ on Thursday.
In the message, Lawan urged Nigerians to be confident in democratic governance in the country.
He said, “June 12 has become a metaphor in our country for free, fair and credible elections and a memorial for the day in which Nigerians stoutly rose above ethnic and religious sentiments to deliver a pan-Nigerian mandate for the revival of hope in their country unity and attainment of its great potential.
“The heroic demonstration of patriotism by the Nigerian voters on June 12, 1993, will continue to inspire generations of their compatriots to promote national unity and defend democracy in Nigeria.
“Having come this far in our journey as a nation, we have no reason to doubt our ability to govern ourselves and attain our great potential as a nation.
“Our uninterrupted practice of democracy in the last 21 years attests that democratic civil rule is taking roots and becoming firmly entrenched in Nigeria.”
Lawan assured Nigerians that lawmakers in the country would continue to provide the platform for improving democratic practice across board.
He said, “While there is a consensus that democracy is the best form of government, it is also important to stress that democracy is a process that evolves with time.
“We should, therefore, continue to have faith in the capacity of our system to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people.
“The on-going process of the constitutional amendment and the much-awaited electoral reforms will take cognizance of our past pitfalls and the democratic ethos required to guide us to where we want to be.
“I urge us all as Nigerians to embrace a healthy democratic practice devoid of desperation and violence.”
