As Nigeria marks Democracy Day, Mr. Olufemi Ajadi, a chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Ogun State, has lamented the state of the nation’s democracy, describing it as still “shackled by corruption, weakened by insecurity, and threatened by poverty and injustice.”
Ajadi made this known in a statement issued in Abeokuta to commemorate the June 12 Democracy Day celebration, a day set aside to honour the sacrifices made for Nigeria’s return to democratic rule.
Paying tribute to the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, widely regarded as the symbol of Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle, Ajadi said the ideals of June 12 remain unfulfilled decades later.
“We stand today on the shoulders of the giants of June 12—those who gave everything, including their lives, for the idea that every Nigerian vote must count,” Ajadi said.
He questioned the current state of democratic governance in Nigeria, asking whether it had truly delivered for the Nigerian people.
“Are our children safer, our youths employed, our roads motorable, and our hospitals functional? Regrettably, our democracy remains in chains,” he declared.
The NNPP chieftain used the occasion to call for far-reaching reforms across the political and economic landscape.
He urged the federal government to implement genuine electoral reforms, tackle insecurity head-on, and prioritize the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.
Ajadi also criticized what he described as “government waste and official impunity,” saying Nigeria must return to the democratic ideals of accountability, transparency, and service to the people.
He reaffirmed his party’s commitment to building a “New Nigeria” rooted in equity, competence, and inclusion.
“We in the NNPP are not here just to criticize. We are here to build, to unite, and to lead Nigeria in a new direction,” he stated.
Addressing Ogun residents specifically, Ajadi thanked them for their support during the 2023 elections and reiterated his continued dedication to their welfare and development.
He also had a message for Nigerian youths, urging them not to give up on the country.
“You are not the leaders of tomorrow; you are the leaders of today. Stand up, speak out, participate—for democracy to live, you must live it,” he said.
Ajadi ended his Democracy Day message with a call for national unity, urging Nigerians to draw strength from the legacy of June 12.
“As long as we remember June 12, and as long as we carry its lessons in our hearts, democracy will rise again in this land.”
June 12 is celebrated annually in Nigeria to commemorate the annulled 1993 presidential election, believed to have been won by Chief MKO Abiola.
