Democracy Day Address by President Bola Tinubu — Bright Okuta

Fellow Nigerians,

I bring you greetings from Aso Rock.

Today, June 12, we gather once again to celebrate our Democracy Day; a day of reflection and commemoration.

June 12 reminds us of the freest and fairest election in Nigeria’s history, the 1993 presidential election, when Nigerians, across tribe, religion, and region, united to choose a leader in M.K.O. Abiola. It was a powerful moment of hope and democratic expression, later dashed by the annulment of the results. Yet, that day remains a symbol of our collective desire for true democracy, justice, and the power of the people to shape their future.

Democracy, they say, is the government of the people, by the people, for the people. In Nigeria, we have made a slight upgrade: government over the people, especially those with loud opinions and mobile data. This is democracy, Nigerian edition, honourably rebranded for national convenience.

Over the past two years, my administration has worked tirelessly to deepen and improve our democracy. Sometimes, this involves secret dialogue; like kidnapping certain journalists and online critics to take a brief sabbatical leave in detention, as seen in the cases of Segun Olatunji and Daniel Ojukwu. Their brief disappearance was purely for their own benefit, a chance to cool off and recalibrate their thoughts in a more reflective environment.

Even in the music industry, we are making changes. Artists like Eedris Abdulkareem must understand that while music is allowed in a democracy, the lyrics must harmonise with national priorities. If your chorus is louder than your patriotism, the NBC will help you remix it. The armed forces are also available for acoustic adjustments, free of charge. What we want our musicians to sing are praises of the government, not criticism. The former President from Ota handled Eedris with kid gloves, but I am ready to handle him with iron ones. This is our own version of democracy.

In Rivers State, I have taken thoughtful steps to stabilise democracy by removing the democratically elected governor. If democracy begins to walk anyhow, it must be shown the correct path. Rivers must flow in the right direction. 2023 taught us this, and by God’s grace, 2027 will reinforce it. My plan is to secure Rivers votes in 2027 by all means.

On VeryDarkMan, the young man who has turned social media into his personal Senate chamber, we merely offered him a break in EFCC’s den. He has been on the neck of my beloved son over the NANS issue he knows nothing about, and my administration in general. While we commend him for some of his good work for people, he has become a constant anti-democracy object to us and is now a threat. He is under surveillance.

Let me assure you, we are not against criticism. You are free to criticise; just avoid mentioning my beloved son, my name, or anything that may affect my administration’s media perception. There is freedom of speech, but not freedom after speech. This is my own democracy.

Now, regarding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, we commissioned 30 percent of it which is a great milestone. Remember, even a journey of a thousand miles starts with a few media crews, photo ops, and one thick ribbon. Progress is progress, no matter the percentage. And to those creating memes and mocking videos about the commissioning, you might be trending under surveillance. Going forward, this will be charged as treasonous content.

As for insecurity, I am fully aware of the challenges. But fear not, God is in control. My beloved wife, the First Lady, and Pastor Adeboye are leading the prayers from the Christian faith. I have directed Pastor Adeboye to periodically remind Nigerians to fast and pray for insecurity. While the Vice President leads from the Islamic faith. Like you know, prayer is the key. I am aware of the new terrorist group, but I assure you, they are no threat.

On electricity, we need 10 billion dollars yearly to revive our power sector. As you know, we cannot afford this now, as we are saving money for the 2027 election campaign. Please ignore that old video where someone who looks like me said, “Don’t vote for me for second term if I don’t give you light.” That was not me. That was AI. Deepfake is becoming very disobedient these days.

Fellow Nigerians, looking ahead, we have big plans. About 90 percent of our focus is on ensuring I return for a second term to finish what I started, like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. The remaining 10 percent is allocated to ensuring effective governance under a one-party system. This is part of our own democracy.

Finally, on this June 12, let us celebrate our unique democracy. It may not be perfect, but it is ours. It comes with passion, Yoruba pepper, and absolute use of military and political power. It is a democracy with its own rhythm. Sometimes slow, sometimes loud, but always unique. I call it the emilokan democracy.

Thank you for your time, and Happy Democracy Day.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
God bless our democracy.