The Nigerian authorities has declared Thursday, June 12, a nationwide public vacation in observance of Democracy Day, marking 26 years of uninterrupted civilian governance in Africa’s most populous nation.
The announcement was made on Sunday in a press release issued by Magdalene Ajani, Everlasting Secretary on the Ministry of Inside.
In line with the assertion, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Authorities, extending congratulations to residents and emphasizing the significance of the milestone.
“June 12 represents our historic journey towards constructing a nation the place fact and justice reign, peace is sustained, and our future is assured,” Tunji-Ojo mentioned. “The final 26 years inform a narrative of resilience, energy, braveness and a hope renewed greater than ever.”
The vacation, first established in 2018 to exchange Might 29 because the official Democracy Day, commemorates the June 12, 1993 presidential election, broadly thought to be Nigeria’s freest and fairest.
That vote, presumed to have been gained by businessman Moshood Abiola, was annulled by the army regime, sparking nationwide unrest and setting off a protracted wrestle for the restoration of democratic rule.
That wrestle culminated in 1999 with the inauguration of Olusegun Obasanjo, marking the start of the Fourth Republic.
Since then, Nigeria has held six consecutive presidential elections, a rarity in a area usually challenged by coups, constitutional crises, and electoral violence.
This yr’s commemoration comes beneath the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has repeatedly aligned his management with what he calls the “Renewed Hope” agenda, a pledge to reinvigorate the nation’s democracy, stabilize the financial system, and enhance governance requirements.
Tunji-Ojo, talking in assist of the president’s imaginative and prescient, mentioned the federal government remained “firmly dedicated to upholding the common values of democracy, constructed on the freely expressed will of the folks.”
Whereas Nigeria celebrates over 20 years of democratic rule, residents proceed to grapple with important governance challenges starting from financial hardship and unemployment to insecurity and corruption.
The vacation may even function a pause for residents to reckon with the nation’s progress and setbacks since its return to civilian rule.
