The Citizens in Politics Assembly, CIPA, has congratulated Nigerians and the present administration on Democracy Day, urging citizens to uphold the ideals of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.
In a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Abigail Olagbaye, and Director of Media, Mr. Ayodele Abere, on Thursday, CIPA described June 12 as “Nigeria’s reminder of what democracy should look like, and the price paid to get close to it.”
The group noted that on June 12, 1993, Nigerians voted for president after 10 years of military rule. Chief MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, defeated Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention, NRC, in an election widely regarded as free, fair, and credible. Abiola, a Muslim from the South West, won convincingly across the North, South East, and other regions.
CIPA said the then Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, annulled the election on June 23, 1993, before results were fully announced. “It triggered protests, strikes, and a democracy struggle that lasted years,” the statement said.
The group recalled that in 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari moved Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12 to honour Abiola and the ideals of the election. It said the decision was official recognition that June 12, not May 29, was when Nigerians spoke with one voice.
As Ekiti and Osun states prepare for governorship elections, and ahead of the 2027 general elections, CIPA urged Nigerians to demonstrate tenacity in defending true democracy.
CIPA said it is committed to mobilising citizens, developing principled leaders, and advocating transparent and accountable governance through training, policy engagement, and grassroots mobilisation.
