Politics
June 12 And The Burden Of A Declaration
After about 25 years in the public space in Nigeria as a major political issue, not many people expected anything radically different from the trend of discussion concerning the epic presidential election of 1993 and its fallouts which have, infact, been heavily tampered by the passage of time. However, President Muhammadu Buhari got the country into a frenzy with a profound and far-reaching statement on Wednesday, June 6, 2018 that altered the tone of discussion in the subject matter.
In a statement he personally released to the public, President Buhari said: “In the view of Nigerians, as shared by the administration, June 12, 1993, was and is far more symbolic of democracy in the Nigerian context than May 29, or even October 1”. He therefore went on to disclose that: “I am delighted to announce that, after due consultations, the federal government had decided that henceforth, June 12 will be celebrated as Democracy Day”.
While by the presidential proclamation, the president supplanted May 29, inaugurated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 and celebrated as Democracy Day since then, he also (un)officially declared the late M.K.O Abiola as winner of the 1993 presidential contest and only fell short of proclaiming him as former head of state with the posthumous award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR.
As expected, Nigerians from all walks of life have since not stopped talking. While some have hailed the action of the president on the matter, others have queried his sincerity of purpose. Those who give thumbs up to the president commend him for summoning the courage to bring closure to an issue that has haunted the nation and dogged every political development for about two and a half decades. They see him as one who means well for political development as well as the entrenchment of democracy in the country.
However, those who hold a contrary opinion accuse the president of playing to the gallery and motivated by desire to reap electoral benefits more than any other consideration. To buttress their position they question the democratic credentials of the president and quickly point out the fact that no notable statement of condemnation of the pervertion of the people’s will and the injustice meted out to the people’s choice is traceable to him in all these years. Indeed, there are those who have expressed differing opinions on June 12 as Democracy Day and the post humous conferment of GCFR on Chief Abiola.
Public affairs analyst, Fola Ojo was more excited by the honour done the late politician, praising President Buhari for doing what was just and condemning his predecessors for not being able to rise to the occasion when they had the opportunity.
According to him, “History records it on this day what others couldn’t do, Buhari has done. What Abiola’s kinsman, President Olusegun Obasanjo hated to do, Buhari has done. What Umaru Yar’Adua couldn’t do, this president had done. What Goodluck Jonathan attempted to do and was resisted by the powers that be, this retired General from Daura has done. He has done what is right and just”.
Mr Ojo however acknowledged that those who do not agree with the president were well within their rights and have their good reasons for their position, adding that Buhari was no longer a soldier and therefore should be permitted to play politics, being a politician now.
“Politicians play politics. That’s their craft. Buhari is a politician, not an Imam and no longer a soldier. He must play politics. What is important to many is that he just did what is honourable with the honour conferred on Abiola”, he said.
On his part, the opponent of Chief M.K.O Abiola and candidate of the National Republican Convention, NRC, in the famous 1993 presidential election, Alhaji Basir Tofa says he is neither impressed nor excited by the proclamations of President Buhari.
Expressing reservations on the president’s move, Alhaji Tofa is reported to have said: “While I do not begrudge the president his power to bestow favour on whomsoever he pleases, it is also important, especially for history, for all actions from the highest authority in the country to be based on fair play and law”.
On the adoption of June 12 as the new date to celebrate democracy in Nigeria, the retired politician said: “whatever may be the prevailing sentiment and politics in Abuja, the idea that June 12 should be the new Democracy Day is also a matter that deserves serious reconsideration. Such decisions should be beyond some political cold calculations”.
Speaking with The Tide in Port Harcourt on the subject matter and the position of President Muhammadu Buhari in advancing democracy in the country with his declaration, a university lecturer, Dr Emmanuel Wonah and a public affairs commentator, Andy Akpotiveh expressed the view that the president needs to do a lot more to be taken seriously by Nigerians with regard to his efforts at advancing the frontiers of democracy as he would love to be seen to be doing.
While acknowledging that the president’s pronouncements on June 12 and late Abiola were a “master stroke” and advice well heeded to, Akpotiveh said they were grossly in sufficient to elevate President Buhari to the pedestal of a champion of democracy.
“Nobody can say that by doing this alone, Buhari has suddenly transmitted from what he is to being a champion of democracy. Indeed, he took good advice given the fact that he attempted to write the bad in history and to rewrite it for people to understand that there was humongous injustice that was done to the people of Nigeria and the family of Abiola and to the active democratic players of the time,” he said, adding: “the fact that he listened to those people indeed is the reason why I say that it’s a master stroke”.
However, Mr Akpotiveh noted that it was regrettable that there were huge gaps left by the president in his transformation process to being a democratic leader. According to him, “all of the things that are the appurtenances of democratic practice everywhere else in the world, I don’t think that the current president has tried to highlight those things in his administration”.
“For me, the day I will say that the current president is now a leading, touching democratic person is the day he begins to respect everything about democracy; he begins to respect freedom to associate, freedom to speak; he begins to respect people’s interest; he begins to respect court judgements; he begins to respect all the institutions of democracy. When I see President Buhari demonstrate these things, then I can say that indeed he is a changed person. But for just what he has done, it is not sufficient for anybody who is rational, anybody who is thinking, anybody who was around in 1993 to say that Buhari is now a democratic person,” he argued.
Speaking in the same vein, Dr Emmanuel Wonah, a lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Administrative Studies, University of Port Harcourt, said he didn’t see any remarkable correlation between Nigeria’s democratic aspirations and the pronouncements regarding a shift in date for the commemoration of democracy.
“I don’t think that has any remarkable impact on the fact that we want to be democratic as a people, he said, insisting that “the fact that you shifted Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12 doesn’t make the difference.
According to Dr Wonah, what was important and desirable was the strengthening of democratic institutions and the entrenchment of democratic culture that will ensure responsive and responsible governance and a vibrant and stable polity that will engender economic growth and development to the people.
“What is important to us as a people is that we should begin to see how we can strengthen democratic institutions and imbibe democratic culture and demonstrate same at every facet of the Nigerian society,” he emphasised.
Describing the president’s move as mere window dressing, the university teacher said the starting point of testing the sincerity of President Buhari’s claim to democratic ideals will be his approach to and actual performance in ensuring free, fair and credible general elections in 2019. He said that is the only way for the president to validate everything June 12 stands for in Nigeria and to demonstrate beyond words to the world that he has indeed taken off the democratic block.
“First of all, we want to see that come 2019, Nigeria should have another free, fair and credible elections. That will give him (Buhari) kudos that during his administration we had this kind of election. That is the starting point for us to say “well, election under your watch was free and fair. That for me, is very important,” he said.
The first time June 12 will be celebrated as Democracy Day in Nigeria will be in 2019, a few months after another general elections and just days after the inauguration of a democratic administration. The burden President Muhammadu Buhari bears as a result of his recent declaration concerning June 12, is to re-enact the 1993 experience and make it stand for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians. Anything less will make a mockery of all that has been said and done.
Opaka Dokubo
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.
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