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The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, says that despite the many military takeovers in West Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria remains a shining example of a nation upholding the tenets of democracy for 26 unbroken years.

“At a period when many African countries are sliding back into military rule and dictatorship, Nigeria is powering forward in democratic rule,” Akume said at a Democracy Day Lecture at the State House in Abuja on Thursday as part of events to celebrate the 2025 Democracy Day.

“Even though we have not attained the democratic height envisioned, we are confident that our path is straight and would lead us to our desired destination,” he said at the event which has its theme as ‘Consolidating on the Gains of Nigeria’s Democracy: Necessity of Enduring Reforms’.

In the last five years, West and Central Africa have recorded over 10 coup attempts since the August 2020 military takeover in Mali.

Aside from Mali, military juntas have also replaced elected leaders in Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, and Gabon. Earlier in 2025, the trio of Mali, Niger Republic and Burkina Faso pulled out of regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Akume commended all heroes of democracy, both dead and alive, for their struggle for a new Nigeria.

“Today’s celebration would not have been possible but for the commitment and determination of ordinary Nigerian citizens who stood strong in the face of military oppression, brutality, and rights denial,” he said.

“The June 12 struggle was a watershed as millions of our countrymen and women poured out on the streets. From the towns and villages, the cries for democracy and just governance were a movement. That is the June 12 struggle. That movement gave birth to the new democratic regime.”

[READ ALSO] June 12: ‘Call Me Names,’ Tinubu Promises To Defend Free Speech

According to him, Nigeria owes the heroes of democracy a debt of gratitude for having endured the brutality of military officers, the imprisonments, the humiliation, and even for paying the supreme price.

The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), led by Fegalo Nsuke, has expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for granting a posthumous presidential pardon to the nine Ogoni rights activists executed by the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha in 1995.

Those granted pardon include Ken Saro-Wiwa, Nubari Kiobel, Nordu Eawo, Saturday Doobee, John Kpuinen, Paul Levura, Daniel Gbokoo, Felix Nuate, and Baribor Bera.

Nsuke, in a statement, described the pardon as a historic and courageous act of national reckoning and a vital step toward healing the deep wounds inflicted on the Ogoni people and the Nigerian conscience.

READ ALSO: Ogoni Nine: Tinubu Grants Presidential Pardon To Ken Saro Wiwa, Eight Others

He said President Tinubu had distinguished himself by responding with compassion and boldness to a long-standing demand for justice from marginalised people.

He said the President’s acknowledgment of the grave injustice done to the Ogoni Nine, especially the statement that their execution should never have happened, has been met with gratitude both within Nigeria and around the world.

He, however, added that while the presidential pardon was an important milestone, it inherently suggested that a crime was committed and forgiven.

He maintained that in the case of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his compatriots, no crime ever took place, adding that their convictions were the result of a deeply flawed, politically motivated process lacking in fairness or due process.

He, therefore, urged President Tinubu to go a step further by initiating a process for the full exoneration of the Ogoni Nine by setting up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry.

He said, “Such an exoneration would be a stronger moral and legal correction, ensuring that their names are no longer burdened by the stain of injustice.

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has warned against rushing into full adoption of electronic voting in Nigeria, citing serious gaps in infrastructure and technology.

Speaking at The Platform held in Lagos on Thursday to commemorate Nigeria’s Democracy Day, Professor Jega said that while the country must scale up the use of technology in its electoral processes, it must do so cautiously and realistically.

“We have to understand the need to make haste slowly,” Jega said. “We want to scale up the use of technology, but if we do a realistic assessment, we’ll see there are a lot of gaps in technology infrastructure, which will constrain how far we can go.”

He compared Nigeria’s situation to that of Estonia, a small European country known for advancement in electronic voting “Estonia uses the internet for voting, but it’s a very small country with far better infrastructure. In Nigeria, we’re still struggling with internet service even in major cities, not to mention rural areas that are terribly underserved,” he noted.

Jega also stressed that Nigeria’s lack of local equipment manufacturing poses a further setback. “We’re not even equipment manufacturers, and you need a certain level of relative independence. Otherwise, you become hostage to external suppliers.”

According to him, India, even with its stronger technological capacity, still does not use electronic voting, but relies on mechanical voting systems.

The governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, has said the recent setback experienced by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in its conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) should not limit the country from making progress technologically.

Soludo made this known at The Platform Programme held in Lagos by The Covenant Nation on Thursday to commemorate Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

“Technology is upon us. We can not afford any failure or experiment or another, just say the response is to return to the analogue system,’’ he said

JAMB faced criticism from several quarters over its announcement that about 379,997 candidates in the just concluded 2025 exercise would retake the examination owing to glitches experienced during the examination. 

READ ALSO: Tinubu’s ‘Audacious’ Reforms Rescued Nigeria’s Economy From Tipping Point — Soludo

The examination body, on its official  X handle, established that the technical glitch affected 157 out of the 887 centres, prompting a backlash from Nigerians. 

However, the Anambra state governor insisted that creating a proper test model would be the right path to go.

‘’We must embrace technology that does nto undermine that we must make preparations, stress testing is very important. You think it’s true, stress test, stress test, and stress test,” the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor said. 

‘’We prepare and ask ourselves where we put the resources and make sure the auxiliary services, such as access to the network, will actually work.’’

“Going back to the analogue system in my solution will not work. But to assume it will be an error-free system with a mechanical device that’s impossible,’’ he said.  

A few weeks ago, a former presidential spokesman, Laolu Akande, commended the JAMB registrar for admitting errors in the conduct of the exams.

He said, ”We have to be careful not to let the people that are on the receiving end of that important reform use this occasion to push back against somebody like Oloyede or even the education minister, who is clearly also reform-minded.”

As part of activities to celebrate Nigeria’s 26th anniversary of unbroken democracy, the Presidency on Thursday, June 12, 2025 holds a special Democracy Day Lecture at the State House, Abuja. 

The event has its theme as ‘Consolidating on the Gains of Nigeria’s Democracy: Necessity of Enduring Reforms’.

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The National Assembly has showered encomium on President Bola Tinubu on the occasion of the Democracy Day celebration on June 12.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, in his welcome address to Tinubu during a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Thursday, praised the President as one of the architects of Nigeria’s democracy.

“The National Assembly is proud to host you, our President, our compatriot, and one of our own, as you fulfil the solemn constitutional duty of addressing the nation. This chamber honours you not merely as the President, but as one of the architects of the very democratic foundation we commemorate today.

“Today, we gather not to mourn injustice, but to honour resilience. We observe not the triumph of politicians, but the enduring faith of the Nigerian people in a democracy — a faith that survived betrayal, braved teargas, defied armoured tanks, endured silence, and still chose the ballot over the bullet,” Akpabio said.

Going down memory lane, Akpabio hailed Nigerians for their resilience in standing for democratic rule in the face of brutality.

“On June 12, 1993, the torch of the long march to freedom was lit. Nigerians stood up to say, ‘Our voice matters. Our vote counts.’”

Akpabio said, however, that the light was extinguished on June 12, 1993, when a terse statement declared that the will of the Nigerian people, freely expressed in the historic June 12 Presidential Election, had been annulled.

“Tears, rage, and hope poured into the streets. Nigeria did not just lose an election; she lost her innocence. And across the country, the silence of shock was broken by the roar of resistance. The people rose. Angry students marched.

“The intro of Chief Moshood Abiola’s campaign song captured the spirit of that day: ‘Nigeria on the march again.’ Indeed, Nigeria was on the march towards democracy. But that cruel announcement turned the march for democracy into a march for justice,” he added.

He noted that many, including Tinubu, stood tall in those days of darkness, adding that “while others chose silence or compromise,” the President “chose courage”.

He said, “At great personal cost, NADECO, which you were part of, helped sustain the flame of liberty when it was most at risk of going out. So as we mark this day, let us remember those who bled so we could vote. Those who took risks, so we could speak. Those who were buried so that freedom might rise. Let us also pay tribute to all those who played pivotal roles in Nigeria’s democratic transition.

“This year’s theme — ’26 Years of Democracy: Renewing Our Commitment to National Development’ — is not a slogan. It is a call to purpose. A reminder that democracy is not an end, but a means to national transformation.”

READ ALSO: ‘Not Good For Nigeria’, Tinubu Refutes One-Party State Claims

The Senate President said Nigeria had witnessed unprecedented development under Tinubu’s administration.

“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, we have seen a transformation in his bold approach to difficult reforms. From unifying the foreign exchange market to local government autonomy to the formation of the regional development commissions to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to removing fuel subsidies to attracting foreign investments to tax reforms, this administration has not shied away from the hard decisions required to stabilise and grow our economy,” he stated.

844 Bills Introduced In Two Years

Akpabio also listed some of the achievements of the NASS, ahead of its second anniversary on June 13.

He said, “This commitment is reflected in its extraordinary output: a total of 844 bills have been introduced within its first two years—an unprecedented figure that underscores the Senate’s proactive posture in tackling pressing national issues.

“Out of this impressive volume, 107 bills are currently at the committee stage, undergoing the necessary scrutiny and stakeholder engagement that ensures quality legislation, 206 bills are awaiting first reading, reflecting a robust pipeline of legislative ideas prepared for formal introduction, and 409 bills have advanced to second reading.”

He disclosed that the Senate has passed 96 bills, “a record for any Nigerian Senate at this stage of the legislative cycle”.

“Even more significantly, 52 of these bills have been assented to by the President, translating into enforceable laws that will shape governance, economic development, public welfare, and national security.

“These bills include the National Education Fund, local government autonomy bill, regional development commissions, tax reforms, universities and tertiary institutions, agricultural institutions, etc.

“Moreover, the 10th Senate has acted decisively on 26 Executive Bills, showcasing a healthy balance of cooperation and oversight in its engagement with the executive arm. These executive-sponsored legislations address key policy areas and benefit from the Senate’s thorough review and refinement before passage.”

80 Petitions Received

Akpabio further stated that the 10th Senate received 80 petitions from citizens and civil society, out of which 18 had been fully adopted.

“Beyond bills, the 10th Senate has received a total of 80 petitions from citizens and civil society. This is a testimony to public trust in the institution. Of these, 18 petitions have been fully adopted, providing redress, transparency, and institutional accountability.

“History teaches us that nations make the greatest progress when the Executive governs with vision, and the Legislature guides with wisdom. But they prosper most when both walk hand-in-hand—not as rivals, but as co-stewards of national trust,” he said.