By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to match his Democracy Day rhetoric with decisive action by confronting the unresolved injustices of Nigeria’s democratic journey, starting with the unlawful annulment of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election.
In a strongly-worded letter dated 14 June 2025 and signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged President Tinubu to establish a presidential panel of inquiry to investigate the annulment of the June 12 election and identify those behind what it described as “deliberate violations of Nigerians’ democratic freedoms.”
The organisation demanded that those found culpable, irrespective of political stature, be brought to justice through the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
SERAP also urged the president to instruct Fagbemi to urgently draft and present an executive bill to the National Assembly seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022, specifically to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory and grant all voters access to election documents.
This, the group argued, would reinforce electoral transparency, curb manipulation, and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Furthermore, the organisation called on the president to immediately halt all prosecutions and drop charges against Nigerians currently detained or facing trial simply for exercising their rights to peaceful protest and free expression.
“Your Democracy Day speech conveyed a commitment to freedom, transparent and accountable governance, and social justice,” the letter stated.
“However, such commitments will ring hollow unless your government takes concrete action to end impunity for past violations, enforce electoral reforms, and guarantee democratic freedoms.”
SERAP emphasised that there is no statute of limitations on violations of democratic rights, and that achieving the ideals of June 12 is impossible without accountability and systemic reforms.
It warned that the failure to prosecute those responsible for the June 12 annulment has entrenched a culture of impunity, encouraging continued subversion of elections and political rights in Nigeria.
“Amending the Electoral Act to mandate electronic transmission of results and ensuring open access to electoral documents are essential to delivering credible elections,” the group stated. “It will also allow voters to verify the integrity of electoral outcomes.”
The organisation also demanded a review of laws undermining freedom of expression.
It asked the president to push for the repeal or amendment of repressive statutes, including the Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation and falsehood laws in the Criminal and Penal Codes, which have been used to silence journalists, critics, and dissenters.
SERAP raised concern over the growing trend of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), noting that these legal tactics—often backed by politicians and security agencies—are being used to harass and intimidate Nigerians peacefully expressing their views.
“Your administration’s obligation under the Constitution, your oath of office, and Nigeria’s international human rights commitments requires you to dismantle structures of repression and safeguard democratic freedoms,” SERAP wrote.
The group gave the president a seven-day deadline to begin implementing its recommendations, failing which it vowed to initiate legal action to compel compliance in the public interest.
While acknowledging the president’s recent pledges to deepen democracy and expand civic space, SERAP insisted that only concrete reforms, not lofty speeches, can truly honour the legacy of June 12 and move Nigeria towards a just and free society.
