BREAKING: Tinubu hails Buhari for recognising June 12 as Democracy Day

By Kunle Sanni

President Bola Tinubu has expressed appreciation to former President Muhammadu Buhari for officially recognising June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day—a historic shift from the previous May 29 observance.

Addressing a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday to mark Democracy Day, Tinubu commended Buhari’s 2018 decision to move the celebration to June 12 in honour of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, widely regarded as the winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election.

He also paid tribute to the heroes of the June 12 struggle, including Anthony Enahoro, Alfred Rewane, Abraham Adesanya, Ayo Adebanjo, Bagauda Kaltho, and others.

Chief Abiola, who won the 1993 election—judged to be Nigeria’s freest and fairest—was never declared president due to its annulment by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. In the years that followed, Abiola was detained by the subsequent military government led by General Sani Abacha as he fought to reclaim his mandate. He died in custody in 1998 under unclear circumstances.

For years, activists and civil society groups called for formal recognition of Abiola and for June 12 to be acknowledged as the true symbol of Nigeria’s democratic struggle. Previous administrations failed to act on these demands.

In 2018, President Buhari posthumously conferred Abiola with Nigeria’s highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR)—an honour traditionally reserved for presidents and former presidents.