June 12: Oyebanji Calls on Nigerians to Trust in Democracy

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has called on the people of the state and Nigerians nationwide to maintain faith in democracy as a means to deepen their participation in governance as patriotic citizens.

Governor Oyebanji said Democracy Day provides an occasion for sober reflection on the nation’s journey so far and to strengthen the resolve to uphold democratic ideals and commit to a stronger state and a prosperous nation.

In a statement released on Democracy Day and signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, the Governor noted that June 12 marks a watershed in Nigeria’s political history and its uneven democratic journey.

He added that the day is set aside to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the June 12 1993 presidential election, which is widely regarded as the freest, fairest and most peaceful national election in Nigerian history.

The Ekiti Governor paid tribute to the June 12 symbols, Chief Abiola; his wife, the late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola; and other heroes and heroines of democracy who paid the ultimate price for Nigerians to enjoy the freedom from military dictatorship.

Governor Oyebanji also honored other pro‑democracy patriots who fought for the revalidation of June 12 and witnessed the dawn of democracy in 1999.

He praised the nation’s former President, the late Muhammadu Buhari, who officially recognized June 12 as a Democracy Day in Nigeria.

Governor Oyebanji said June 12 symbolizes the people’s readiness to set aside ethnic, religious, lingual and cultural differences to establish a democracy in which freedom of choice and the sanctity of the ballot are respected regardless of the odds.

While acknowledging that democracy is not perfect, the Governor maintained that it remains the best form of government, offering every citizen the opportunity to contribute to decision‑making and to have a say in the selection of their leaders.

He emphasized that every Nigerian has a role in strengthening the nation’s democracy, upholding constitutionalism, the rule of law and building stronger institutions for good governance.

Governor Oyebanji congratulated Nigerians and the people of Ekiti State on observing this year’s Democracy Day and on 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, the longest such period in the country’s political history.