A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and prominent elder statesman, Oba Olu Falae, has declared that Nigeria’s democracy is now firmly rooted, noting that the nation has every reason to celebrate 26 years of uninterrupted civilian rule.
Speaking in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday as part of activities to mark June 12, Nigeria’s Democracy Day, Falae, who is the Olu of Ilu-Abo in Akure North Local Government Area, credited the democratic gains to the relentless efforts of pro-democracy activists, particularly the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
He said: “The NADECO struggle was a successful one. It ushered in a democratic system that has come to stay.
“Since independence, we have never enjoyed 25 to 26 years of unbroken democratic rule. That is a major milestone, and NADECO deserves the credit.”
Oba Falae, a former presidential candidate and long-time advocate for good governance, reiterated the significance of June 12 not only as a memorial to the annulled 1993 elections but as a symbol of Nigeria’s democratic resilience.
June 12 is now recognized as Democracy Day in Nigeria in honour of the late Chief MKO Abiola, widely believed to have won the 1993 presidential election annulled by the military regime.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
