Tinubu now bears torch of democracy —Shettima
By Kunle Sanni
Vice President Kashim Shettima has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu embodies the continuation of the democratic vision championed by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Nigeria’s foremost democracy martyr.
Speaking at the 26th Democracy Day Public Lecture held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima described Tinubu as one of Abiola’s most trusted lieutenants and a man who has kept the democratic flame alive “through seasons of fire and storm.”
Representing President Tinubu at the event, the Vice President said: “History has returned the baton in the struggle for democracy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man who stood with Abiola and who now carries the torch of democratic renewal under the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Shettima extolled the legacy of Abiola, declaring that the hope the late politician stood for remains undiminished.
“MKO Abiola did not die in vain. His dream became a covenant for all Nigerians to defend democracy and honour the blood that watered its roots,” he said.
He emphasized that the administration remains committed to inclusive governance and bridging political, ethnic, and generational divides.
“President Tinubu has kept that covenant—extending a hand across divides to build a Nigeria that works for everyone,” Shettima noted.
In his remarks, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, paid tribute to Nigeria’s democracy heroes and urged citizens to support the Tinubu administration in steering the country toward peace, security, and economic growth.
