Tinubu celebrates democracy, promises economic growth

Etim Ekpimah

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced national honours for dozens of pro-democracy activists and military officers who played key roles in the June 12 struggle, while defending his administration’s economic reforms and security policies as necessary steps towards national prosperity.
In his Democracy Day address on Friday, President Tinubu paid tribute to the heroes of the June 12 movement and announced the renaming of the Institute of Petroleum Studies in Kaduna as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology.
The President said Nigeria’s democratic journey remains a source of national pride, noting that the country has enjoyed 27 consecutive years of civilian rule since 1999.
“Today, we celebrate democracy and the enduring Nigerian spirit. For 27 unbroken years, Nigerians have chosen their leaders through the ballot, witnessed peaceful transitions of power, and resolved disagreements in courtrooms and legislative chambers rather than through violence,” he said.
Tinubu urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and political parties to ensure that the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states are peaceful, free and credible.
Addressing young Nigerians, the President encouraged them to remain committed to building the nation.
“Nigeria is your home and your future. Build here, innovate here, work here and vote here. Every great nation was built by those who stayed to solve problems, not by those who abandoned ship,” he said.
On security, Tinubu acknowledged public concerns over the recent abductions of schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states, describing security as the foundation of a thriving democracy.
He said his administration had declared a security emergency, approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 police officers and thousands of military personnel, and allocated ₦5.41 trillion to defence and security in the 2026 budget.
According to him, military operations have significantly weakened terrorist groups, including the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
“We degraded ISWAP’s command centre in Arege, Borno State. Terror-related deaths have declined by 81 per cent since 2015, while more than 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year,” he said.
The President added that over 124,000 insurgents and their dependants had surrendered through Operation Safe Corridor since 2023.
He warned bandits, kidnappers and sponsors of terrorism to surrender or face the full weight of the law.
“Crime has no ethnicity. We must stand united and remain confident that the enemies of our nation will soon become history,” he stated.
Reflecting on the significance of June 12, Tinubu described the annulled 1993 presidential election as a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic history and paid tribute to Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and other prominent figures who sacrificed for democratic governance.
He also honoured the memories of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Alfred Rewane, Pa Abraham Adesanya, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, Frank Kokori, Arthur Nwankwo, Chima Ubani and Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, among others.
Turning to the economy, Tinubu defended the reforms introduced since 2023, saying they were necessary to stabilise public finances, attract investment and restore confidence in Nigeria’s economic management.
He said federation revenues had increased, fiscal transparency had improved, and investment was growing in sectors such as agriculture, energy, manufacturing, mining, transportation, technology and the creative industry.
The President also highlighted improvements in domestic refining capacity, describing them as vital to strengthening energy security and reducing dependence on imported petroleum products.
On the power sector, he noted that the Electricity Act had empowered states to generate, transmit and distribute electricity, while efforts were underway to bridge the country’s metering deficit and address legacy debts in the industry.
Tinubu further announced that the National Agricultural Development Fund would deploy 10,000 tractors over five years, while more than 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises had been certified for export. He added that non-oil exports grew by 21 per cent in the past year.
Despite these gains, the President acknowledged the economic hardship facing many Nigerians and pledged continued efforts to reduce inflation, create jobs, improve living standards and ensure that the benefits of economic growth reach every community.
“We are moving from uncertainty to stability. The next phase is about accelerating growth and ensuring that the benefits are felt in every home, every community and every region. Democracy must be felt in people’s pockets,” he said.
Tinubu also reiterated his administration’s commitment to local government autonomy, arguing that effective grassroots governance is essential to national development and security.
As part of the Democracy Day celebrations, the President announced national honours for dozens of journalists, activists, labour leaders, politicians and pro-democracy campaigners who suffered persecution, imprisonment and exile during the struggle for democratic rule.
He also recognised several military officers who supported the June 12 movement and said the full honours list would be released in the coming days.
Concluding his address, Tinubu called on Nigerians to embrace unity, hope and collective responsibility in building a prosperous nation.
“The generation of our founding fathers secured independence. The generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity,” he said.
He urged citizens to renew their commitment to the ideals of democracy and ensure that the sacrifices of past heroes were not in vain.