•President vows to preserve democracy, appeases Nigerians over economic hardship
President Bola Tinubu has praised the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola and other heroes of democracy, including General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and Pa Alfred Rewane, among others.
In his Democracy Day broadcast on Wednesday, the President also celebrated other heroes including Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Chief Arthur Nwankwo, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Frank Kokori, and Chief Bola Ige, and other eminent Nigerians who made great sacrifices for the restoration of democracy in the country.
The President urged Nigerians to beware of elements who might want to undermine the current democratic dispensation.
He acknowledged the economic hardships in the country and expressed his commitment to supporting the citizens.
He said, “On this day, 31 years ago, we entered our rites of passage to becoming a true and enduring democratic society.
“Going through this passage was hard and dangerous. During the fateful six years that followed, we fought and struggled for our natural rights as human beings put on this earth by the divine hand of our Creator.
“We lost great heroes and heroines along the way. In this struggle, the winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, the most significant symbol of our democratic struggle, his wife, Kudirat, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and Pa Alfred Rewane, among others sacrificed their very lives. They bravely surrendered their futures, so that our nation might have a better one.
“Let us honour the memories of Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Chief Arthur Nwankwo, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Frank Kokori, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Ganiyu Dawodu, Chief Ayo Fasanmi, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Olabiyi Durojaiye, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chima Ubani, and others who have transited to the higher realm.”
The President emphasised that the sacrifices of General Alani Akinrinade, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, Prof Wole Soyinka, Chief Ralph Obioha, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, and many others should never be forgotten, noting that they endured the hardships of life in exile for at least six years.
He also reminisced about how pro-democracy activists at home, including Olisa Agbakoba, Femi Falana, Abdul Oroh, Senator Shehu Sani, Governor Uba Sani, Chief Olu Falae, and other National Democratic Coalition leaders like Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Ayo Opadokun, maintained pressure on the military leaders while some of their comrades were in exile.
Tinubu remarked that their sacrifices and the invaluable contributions resulting from their selfless dedication can never be repaid, nor will they be forgotten.
Tinubu lauds media
The ex-Lagos State governor did not forget to mention the roles of the media in pushing back the military to the barracks just as he highlighted the indomitable spirit of the Nigerian journalists.
He stated, “We could not have won the battle against military dictatorship without the irrepressible Nigerian journalists who mounted the barricades along with the pro-democracy activists.
“We celebrate them today, along with their media establishments such as The PUNCH, The Guardian, National Concord, Tribune, The News/Tempo, and TELL Magazines. Military authorities proscribed these media establishments and jailed their journalists for standing for free speech and civil liberties.
“Despite the lethal might of the military government, what appeared to be high and unyielding walls of dictatorship came tumbling down. The dismal fortress exists no longer.
“The power of an idea, the power of the people proved more potent than all the guns and munitions, and the threats of the strongmen.”
The President stated that Nigeria’s tradition of holding transparent and fair elections underpinned its democratic principles.
He added that true democracy enhances daily life by providing freedom and liberty, allowing people to think freely, live where they choose, and pursue their desired legitimate endeavours.
“Democracy does not assume some false or forced unity of opinion. In fact, democracy assumes that conflicting ideas and differing opinions shall be the order of the day. Given the diversity and variety of the human experience, there must be diverse perspectives and viewpoints.
“My dear compatriots, Nigeria faced a decision of untold gravity twenty-five years ago: Whether to veer toward a better destination or continue aimlessly in the fog of dictatorship.
“We made the right choice then. We must continue with that choice now,’’ he counselled.
Tinubu, a former prominent member of the National Democratic Coalition, which fought for democracy, insisted that democracy is the best form of government, regardless of how complicated it might be.
He asked Nigerians to be wary of elements who may want to exploit the current economic challenges to destroy the nation’s democracy.
Tinubu warned, “As Nigerians, we must remind ourselves that no matter how complicated democracy may be, it is the best form of governance in the long run. We must also be aware that there are those among us who will try to exploit current challenges to undermine, if not destroy, this democracy for which so much has already been given.
“These people do this not to make things better but to subject all other people and things to their control and dominance until the point that, if you are not counted among their elite, then your life will be small and no longer owned by you. This is the great battle of our day and the major reason we especially celebrate this Democracy Day.”
As a beneficiary of the democratic struggle, the President stated that he is morally and constitutionally obligated to uphold and preserve this valuable form of governance.
Pledging to do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as a way of life, he noted, “I stand uniquely placed in this regard. I was among those who took the risk to midwife the birth of our democracy. I am now a direct and obvious beneficiary of the fruits of those historic efforts.
“As president of this nation, I am morally and constitutionally bound to preserve this precious form of governance. I vow to do my utmost best to protect your rights, freedoms, and liberties as citizens of Nigeria.
“Even more than that, I pledge to do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as our way of life. Although the challenges are steep and multiple, I am grateful to lead Nigeria at this moment in her history and point in her democratic journey.”
Dedication to democracy
The President encouraged Nigerians to reaffirm their dedication to achieving economic democracy for the nation, which is equally significant.
He continued, “I come before you also to declare that our most important work remains before us. This real test has never been whether we would rise to challenge the slings of misfortune and grievous pain of dictatorship.
“The real test is whether we shall lower our guards as the shadow of despotism and its evident physical danger fade.
“I say to you here and now that as we celebrate the enshrinement of our political democracy, let us commit ourselves to the fulfilment of its equally important counterpart, the realisation of our economic democracy.”
Regarding the economy, Tinubu acknowledged the economic challenges facing the nation, adding, however, that the prostrate economy required reforms.
He justified the necessity of the various reforms his administration has instituted, saying, “Our economy has been in desperate need of reform for decades. It has been unbalanced because it was built on the flawed foundation of over-reliance on revenues from the exploitation of oil.
“The reforms we have initiated are intended to create a stronger, better foundation for future growth. There is no doubt the reforms have occasioned hardship.
“Yet, they are necessary repairs required to fix the economy over the long run so that everyone has access to economic opportunity, fair pay and compensation for his endeavour and labour.
“As we continue to reform the economy, I shall always listen to the people and will never turn my back on you.”
Tinubu stated that his administration will soon submit an executive bill to the National Assembly to codify the agreements reached in the ongoing minimum wage negotiations between Organized Labour, the private sector, and the state and Federal governments, which have been prolonged for weeks.
According to him, the bill will make the agreed terms part of the nation’s law for the next five years or less.
He noted, “In this spirit, we have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with organized labour on a new national minimum wage. We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as part of our law for the next five years or less.
“In the face of labour’s call for a national strike, we did not seek to oppress or crack down on the workers as a dictatorial government would have done. We chose the path of cooperation over conflict.
“No one was arrested or threatened. Instead, the labour leadership was invited to break bread and negotiate toward a good-faith resolution.
“Reasoned discussion and principled compromise are hallmarks of democracy. These themes shall continue to animate my policies and interaction with the constituent parts of our political economy.”
The President assured Nigerians that he would undertake this crucial task impartially, promising to remain committed until Nigeria becomes a nation where no one is oppressed.