As Nigeria marked Democracy Day on June 12, 2025, commemorating the historic 1993 election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar delivered a critique of the nation’s current political space.
In a message shared on his official X account, Atiku reflected on the sacrifices of Nigeria’s democratic struggle and issued a stark warning about the erosion of democratic values.
“Thirty-two years ago, Nigeria stood on the cusp of greatness,” Atiku wrote, recalling the hope that gripped the nation during the 1993 election, widely regarded as a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic history.
He highlighted his own role in that era, noting the personal sacrifices he made, including stepping aside from his presidential ambitions to support the late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled election.
“It was a moment of great promise and great sacrifice,” he said.
Atiku paid tribute to the martyrs of Nigeria’s democracy, naming Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Tafida Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and Alfred Rewane, who lost their lives in the fight for a freer nation.
“Their memories are etched into our national conscience and must never be forgotten,” he emphasized.
However, the former vice president expressed deep concern over the state of Nigeria’s democracy today.
He accused the ruling government of undermining the democratic gains of 1999, warning that the country is sliding toward a “creeping one-party dictatorship.”
Atiku’s most striking charge came in his assertion: “What we are witnessing is not governance, it is conquest.”
He pointed to troubling trends, including the suppression of opposition voices, the allocation of major infrastructure contracts to allies of the president, and the renaming of national institutions in honor of the sitting leader.
“The common Nigerian has been abandoned at the altar of elite comfort,” he lamented, describing these actions as a betrayal of the June 12 legacy.
Atiku called for a renewed commitment to democratic ideals, urging Nigerians to resist authoritarianism and economic hardship.
“Nigeria must choose: the path of democratic renewal or the dark alley of despotism,” he wrote.
He framed the push for a united opposition as a “moral imperative” to protect the nation’s future and honor the sacrifices of those who fought for democracy.“
This is not just a political contest; it is a moral crusade,” Atiku declared, emphasizing the need to safeguard Nigeria’s economy, democracy, and dignity.
He concluded with a rallying cry: “As long as oppression thrives, June 12 lives on, not just as a memory, but as a movement. The time to rise is now.”
