As Nigeria commemorates Democracy Day on June 12th, the clear leader of the opposition, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has called for deep reflection on the long and arduous journey towards establishing a stable democratic system. In his democracy day speech on Tuesday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who served from 1999 to 2007, shared his insights on the significance of this annual observance and the challenges that lie ahead. The Explainer recalls that since the controversial 2023 Presidential election, the former Vice President has been the most consistent voice making efforts to hold the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) accountable. Atiku has consistently debated governance issues, policies and programs with the APC, while holding the feet of the Presidency of Bola Tinubu to the fire on the hot button governance issues confronting Nigerians.
In his reflection on the 25th anniversary of June 12 Abubakar said: “The secondary purpose of declaring every June 12 as Democracy Day in our country is to commemorate the history of our long journey of becoming a stable democratic country, truth be told, there’s no substitute to democracy as a form of government.”
Abubakar emphasized the importance of paying tribute to the sacrifices made by countless patriots who paved the way for Nigeria’s democratic transition. Among those he paid glowing tributes to are Bashorun MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, and his beloved wife, Alhaja (Mrs) Kudirat Abiola, who tragically lost her life in the struggle. He also recognized the contributions of Tafida Shehu Yar’Adua and Alfred Rewane, among many others.
Atiku said: “The historical timeline of the struggle that birthed this democracy is abundant with a series of coalitions and alliances amongst the political leaderships of that era to flush away the vestiges of military and dictatorial governance in order to return power to the people.” The leader of the opposition acknowledged the intricate web of alliances and collaborations that paved the way for Nigeria’s democratic transition.
Similarly, as Nigeria celebrates 25 years of her electoral politics, Abubakar commended the resilience of the Nigerian people and the political class for nurturing and embracing democracy. He said: “It is an unprecedented epoch in our history. It is worthy of celebration, and commendation must go to the people of our great country.
“I must also congratulate the political class for having embraced the rectitude of nurturing a democracy, as well as the civil society.”
However, Abubakar cautioned that Nigeria’s democracy is not yet virile if it continually fails to deliver on the promises of prosperity and liberty to its citizens.
“The past nine years has thrown up a regime of extreme hardship manifested in excruciating poverty and unprecedented levels of violence and insecurity upon our people,” he said, placing the blame squarely on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the country’s current challenges.
Abubakar further criticized the opposition political parties for their inability to forge a coalition that could offer an alternative plan for good governance and earn the trust of Nigerians.
He stated, “The opposition political parties are even more guilty than the ruling party for the seeming lack of capacity to come together and galvanize a coalition that will retire the ruling party and articulate a plan of good governance that will earn the conviction of Nigerians.
“Today, the failure of the opposition parties to uphold the functionality of their existence is the major threat to our democracy.
“The earlier they realize that the fortunes of Nigeria lie in their forging a coalition, the better it will be for our country and the people.”
As Nigeria celebrates another Democracy Day, Abubakar’s words serve as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom and the challenges that lie ahead in ensuring that the nation’s democratic ideals are upheld and strengthened for generations to come.
