State governors and other dignitaries on Sunday made a case for credible elections in the country.
They also called for concerted efforts to tackle the nation’s challenges.
They made the calls in their separate messages to mark this year’s Democracy Day.
The Federal Government had declared June 12 of every year as Democracy Day in honour of late Chief MKO Abiola who won the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Celebrating this year’s Democracy Day, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, called on citizens to build on the hope and potential of June 12, 1993 in order to create a better country.
He made the call in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile.
“The challenge before all of us today, as Lagosians and Nigerians, is that June 12 must become a symbol of unity, of hope, of aspiration for a better tomorrow, one built upon true democratic ideals and practices,” the governor said.
Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, said commemorating June 12 as Democracy Day has continued to bring the nation closer closer to credible elections.
Okowa, who stated this in a message posted on his Facebook page on Sunday, urged Nigerians as individuals and as groups to be committed to a better Nigeria.
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, reiterated the need to identify and tackle the challenges confronting the nation and its people.
“The people are the major winners of June 12. This day re-echoes the triumph of the people against tyranny and misrule. We must not allow the enemies of the country to continue to attack the psyche of the people and oppress them with impunity. Enough is enough,” the governor said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Richard Olatunde.
His Ogun State counterpart, Dapo Abiodun, speaking at the June 12 commemorative anniversary held at the M.K.O International Stadium, Abeokuta, said “If the ideals (of MKO) matter to us, religion and ethnicity too should not become campaign issues or determinants of who gets what, when, how in our body-politics or become primary considerations in our leadership recruitment and governance processes.”
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, said the essence of democracy would be lost if leaders failed to be servants to the people.
He made the remark while speaking at a non-denominational Democracy Day service at the King of Glory Chapel, Government House, Yenagoa.
A former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said the true celebration of Democracy Day lied with Nigerians, as he urged them to get their Permanent Voter’s Card ahead of the 2023 general election.
In statement signed by his Media Office in Abuja and made available to newsmen on Sunday, he urged Nigerians of voting age to ensure they exercise their civic duty by voting next year.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in a statement personally signed by him, said, “For the Nigerian people, June 12 is more than just a date. It represents a milestone in our journey to entrench a democratic polity, as on that day 29 years ago, Nigerians rose above primordial sentiments and proclaimed the oneness of their nation and the unity of its people.”
In a goodwill message to Nigerians, telecoms firm, Globacom, commended the resilience of Nigerians and their efforts to ensure sustenance of democracy in the past 23 years.
“Keeping the country united is a great way to honour the heroes of our democracy. Nigerians should, therefore, tap into the power of diversity inherent in the country by joining hands to sustain the territorial integrity of the country at all cost,” Globacom added.
Meanwhile, the Oodua People’s Congress has said regionalism will solve all the problems bedevilling the nation if practised.
This was the position of guest lecturer, Prof Ayo Olukotun, at the OPC lecture series which was held, on Sunday, in Lagos.
Olukotun, a Professor of Political Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, explained that a reform programme and script for overhauling the Nigerian state had long been the drawback of governance and development in Nigeria.
“The current situation of feeding bottle federalism where governors visit Abuja with begging bowls to receive allocation is unacceptable, unsatisfactory and anti-developmental,” he said.
Founder of OPC, Gani Adams, added that he was glad that the government eventually approved June 12 as democracy day two years ago.
Abiola’s family described the late business mogul as a special breed, saying it would take a century before Nigeria can produce “another MKO Abiola.”
The family head, Murtala Abiola, said this, on Sunday while addressing newsmen during the annual prayer session held at the family compound in Gbagura, Abeokuta.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, said there was no alternative to democracy in Nigeria.
Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, called on Nigerians to jettison the age-old primordial sentiments that have continued to threaten unity, peace, and progress of the country.
Oyetola spoke at the June 12 Commemorative Day event with the theme: ‘June 12: Twenty-nine years after, interrogating Nigeria’s democracy in the 4th republic: Osun state perspective,’ held in Osogbo.
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, on Sunday said there was nothing to celebrate on Nigeria’s Democracy Day because of corruption, hunger and other vices which have become a norm.
He said, “How do we celebrate in the midst of escalating prices of essential commodities, hunger and unemployment? How do we celebrate democracy when yet-to-be-identified gunmen pose such a grievous setback in our march towards harmonious and peaceful co-existence? How do we celebrate when corrupt governance and insecurity threaten the present and future of Nigerians?”