June 12th; A revolutionary trigger for a democratic Nigeria

Today's June 12 gave birth to May 29... June 12 is our real Democracy Day.... M.K.O Abiola the symbol of Democracy lives on 23 years after, we still remember that faithful day June 12 1993.

Some stood on June 12, some shat on it....we neither laughed nor cried. as we threw ourselves with the utmost passion to the tasks of struggle in those momentous times: at the barricades; prison lodgings and; meetings in the craze outside world, our position was clear: "Neither MKO or IBB/Abacha" but for the working class' self-emancipation & system change. as with then, today illusions in another custodian is rife; a 1-chance custodian of one kind change.

Osun State Declares Monday As Public Holiday to Mark June 12

The Osun State Government has declared Monday as a public holiday to commemorate June 12 celebration in the state.

The declaration is contained in a statement issued and signed on Friday by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, and made available to newsmen in Osogbo.

The statement quoted Adeoti as saying, “In line with its established policy of observing June 12 of every year as Democracy Day, the State Government of Osun has declared Monday, June 13 as public holiday.”

Saraki Says Democracy Remains Best Solution to our National Problems

The Nigerian Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has commended Nigerians for working to sustain democracy in the past 17 years despite the various challenges the country has encountered within the period.
In a statement to mark this year's Democracy Day, signed on his behalf by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki described democracy as not only the most globally accepted system of government but also the best solution to the problems confronting a multi-cultural, multi-lingual and multi-religious society like Nigeria.

He said in the last 17 years, the electorate have become more discerning and sophisticated as the nation has got to the point that people elected to the various offices are now conscious of the fact that they are under constant watch and when they fail to meet the expectation of the voters, they will be given the red card.

Democracy Day 2016: - There will be no formal State event, march past, ceremonial parade of any sort - Ogun state

The Ogun state government has ruled out any special or formal State event, march past, ceremonial parade of any sort in this year's Democracy Day.

According to the statement released today by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr Taiwo Adeoluwa said Governor of the stste, Senator Ibikule Amosu will be the GUEST of the Civil Society Organizations, Human Right Groups and Democracy Activists in a program tagged : " OGUN CIVIL SOCIETY CONVERSATION WITH THE GOVERNOR".

The statement Reads:

1 YEAR IN OFFICE: President Buhari set to disclose recovered loot tomorrow

President Muhammadu Buhari will tomorrow fulfill the promise he made during his recent trip to Britain that he would disclose the names of those that looted the public treasury and the amount so far recovered from them on May 29, the Democracy Day.

However, speaking on the issue yesterday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said he could not remember his boss promising that he would disclose names of those who have returned stolen funds on Democracy Day, stressing that the closest his boss said was that he would update Nigerians on how far his government has taken the anti-graft war and how much has been cumulatively returned by the looters.

Full Text of President Jonathan’s 2014 Democracy Day broadcast speech

Fellow Nigerians, I greet and felicitate with you all, today, as we mark 15 years of uninterrupted democratic governance in our beloved country. 

Our dear nation, Nigeria, has certainly come a long way and made notable progress since our first Democracy Day on May 29, 1999 when the military finally relinquished power and handed over to a democratically-elected government, marking the true beginning of a government of the people, by the people, for the people.” 

Although I have ordered a low-key commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day in deference to the current mood of the nation, there can be no doubt that the past 15 years, the longest period of sustained democratic governance in our country, have been a blessing to us, as a people. 

As we commemorate 15 years of our Fourth Republic today therefore, I believe that it is fitting that we pay tribute once again to all those who played a part in restoring our nation to the true path of democratic governance, built on the foundations of rule of law and freedom of expression. 

As a result of our collective efforts since 1999, democratic governance is now entrenched in our nation and institutions. I wholeheartedly believe that our people are the better for it. The scope of fundamental rights and liberties enjoyed by our people over the past 15 years has been expanded beyond measure. 

President Jonathan: A New Government Coming Next Year

In a speech that is bound to catch his allies, foes and watchers of his administration by surprise, President Goodluck Jonathan today assured Nigerians that a different government and leadership would be installed in Nigeria in 2015.

Mr. Jonathan made the surprise statement at a “Democracy Day” church service held Sunday in Abuja.

Before the president’s speech, the head of the Nigeria Pilgrims Commission, Reverend John Kennedy Opara, had set the tone when he told the gathering that this year's Democracy Day would be the last to be celebrated by Mr. Jonathan.