- Declares Full Pardon for Ken Saro-Wiwa, Honours June 12 Heroes, Charts Bold Economic Future
By Queen Kunde
In an address to a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marked Nigeria’s Democracy Day with a thunderous pledge: “At no time, past, present or future, will I ever support a one-party state.”
The 2025 Democracy Day speech was Tinubu’s most expansive yet, touching the soul of Nigeria’s democratic struggle, celebrating icons of resistance, and outlining a confident economic vision. With commanding poise, the President reaffirmed the sanctity of Nigeria’s multiparty system and warned critics peddling the “one-party state” narrative to “look within their own crumbling houses.”
•A Resounding Rejection of Political Monopoly
Tinubu, visibly moved as he walked into the National Assembly chambers, declared his loyalty to pluralism: “I stood alone in 2003 against a political tidal wave the last progressive governor standing. If I didn’t believe in a multiparty democracy then, I wouldn’t be here now.”
Welcoming recent defectors from opposition parties, the President emphasized that the APC’s growth was not through coercion, but the natural realignment of values: “Political parties fearful of departures should look inward, not project demons outward.”
•Sweeping Posthumous Honours: June 12’s Fallen Rise Again
In a landmark moment, Tinubu announced posthumous national honours and full presidential pardons for Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine, nearly three decades after their controversial execution under military rule.
In a broad sweep of tribute, he also conferred national honours on Chief Kudirat Abiola (CFR), Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (GCFR), Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti (CON) and over 50 other democracy icons. Legendary journalist Uncle Sam Amuka-Pemu was also honoured as he marked his 90th birthday, Friday 13th June 2025.
“This is not just a roll call of names,” Tinubu said. “It is a national recommitment to the truth, to justice, and to remembering that our democracy was bought at great cost.”
•Democracy as Culture, Not Just System
Tinubu’s address elevated June 12 from remembrance to national purpose. “Every time we debate instead of battle, argue instead of destroy we stitch democracy deeper into our national fabric,” he declared. He hailed not just MKO Abiola, but Alhaja Kudirat, Pa Alfred Rewane, and journalists like Bagauda Kaltho, whose blood and ink fertilized Nigeria’s democratic rebirth.
•Economic Reforms Bearing Fruit
On the economy, Tinubu painted an optimistic picture. “GDP grew by 3.4% in 2024, with Q4 surging to 4.6%, the best in over a decade,” he reported, adding that inflation is easing and foreign reserves have quintupled.
More than 100,000 Nigerians, including 35,000 civil servants, have already accessed affordable credit under the CREDICORP scheme, with 400,000 more set to benefit from a new initiative launching in July.
Fibre-optic broadband cables are being laid nationwide to drive Nigeria into the digital economy. “We are not just chasing GDP numbers,” he said. “We are building lives, homes, jobs — and hope.”
Security and Sovereignty
Acknowledging Nigeria’s complex security terrain, Tinubu credited improved intelligence coordination and better-trained forces for reclaiming territory from insurgents. He paid glowing tribute to the armed forces and assured continued support: “Our troops are the lifeline of our liberty.”
•A Call to Lawmakers: Dream Bigger, Legislate Better
Turning to the National Assembly, Tinubu called for laws that drive industrialization, secure food sovereignty, and enhance civil liberties. “Governance must work and deliver real value to the people,” he said, announcing tax reforms, small business exemptions, and the establishment of the National Credit Guarantee Company with a ?100 billion backing.
“Call me names if you must,” Tinubu dared his critics. “But I will still call on democracy to defend your right to do so.”
•Closing With Conviction
Capping the nearly hour-long speech, Tinubu declared Nigeria “strong but not perfect,” urging continued vigilance, sacrifice, and unity: “As we honour our past heroes, we must build a just society where no one is oppressed. That is the spirit of June 12.”
He concluded with the formal decoration of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and other presiding officers with their previously announced national honours.
•What This Means
Tinubu’s Democracy Day address is already being hailed as a defining moment of his presidency — part political reassurance, part economic roadmap, and part national healing. For many, his message of inclusion, reform, and recognition may mark a new chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
QUICK TAKEAWAYS:
- No to One-Party Rule: Tinubu pledges never to support single-party dominance.
- Economic Boost: Record-breaking GDP growth, stabilized naira, consumer credit expansion.
- June 12 Icons Honoured: From MKO to Ken Saro-Wiwa, over 70 democracy defenders recognised.
- Tech Leap: Nationwide fibre optic rollout to bridge digital divide.
- Security Gains: Intensified counter-insurgency, better military coordination.
- Call to Unity: Lawmakers urged to craft bipartisan development laws.
Happy Democracy Day, Nigeria. The dream lives on.
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