The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Thursday hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for setting aside political differences and demonstrating courage by declaring June 12 as Democracy Day.
He said it would have been easier to “let things stay as they were” but the President who he described as a man of integrity and honesty, “realised the import of June 12 and understood that this day more than any other best symbolized our national pursuit of democracy.”
“Despite political opposition, President Buhari helped set the record straight by making today, June 12, Democracy Day,” Asiwaju said in his June 12 message titled, “June 12: A Milestone for Democracy.”
Tinubu however declared that Nigeria has recorded progress on all fronts, courtesy of the democratic experiment, saying better days are ahead.
“If we look at where we were and where we are now, we have cause to be thankful. We have left dictatorship forever behind. We see new and better ways to define and execute our democratic journey.
“For example, Youth and Women’s groups that in prior times had no voice or did not even exist. Now they are actively engaged and demanding political participation and a place in democratic decision-making. This is how it should be. Within this new, dynamic and vibrant democratic and civil society lies the hope and promise of a better, more representative government and nation,” the APC leader and former Lagos Governor said.
Acknowledging that there are still challenges bothering on economic development, economic inequality, administration of justice, violence against women and environmental degradation, he stressed that democracy still remains the best avenue to overcome the obstacles.
He urged Nigerians to remember all of those who sacrificed to ensure the country advances in her “democratic journey.”
“Let us also look eagerly ahead to the things we must do and the problems we must solve. Let us not be weak and shy away from the obstacles in our path; let us learn from the courage and compassion of those who came before us.
“As they faced and won the battle of democracy over dictatorship, let us now use that democracy to win the present battle of national prosperity in all of its forms over poverty in all of its forms. The times we face are not the easiest but we have a destiny to reach and a democratic road map on how to get there. Hand in hand, let us get there together,” he admonished.
Tinubu reminisced on the June 12 election which he said “changed Nigeria profoundly.”
According to him, many people laboured, struggled and sacrificed for democracy. They fought not that we would have democracy day but that Nigeria might exist as a democracy every day.
He hailed some of the heroes of the June 12 struggle including “people like late Dr.Beko Ransome Kuti, late Gani Fawehinmi, Baba Omojola, late Pa Rewane, late Pa Enahoro, Baba Ajasin, Pa Adesanya, Baba Adebanjo, Prof.Wole Soyinka, Prof.BolajiAkinyemi, Femi Falana, members of the civil society groups, student-activists and others who fought hard and struggled mightily on our behalf.”
