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Tinubu Salutes Abiola, Democracy Heroes, Warns Against Anti-Democratic Forces

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President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday saluted the heroes of democracy on the 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance in Nigeria.

The President, in his second Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, hailed some pro-democracy arrowheads –those alive and those that have departed.

Tinubu recognised the labours of the heroes and heroine many of whom died in the struggle. He said “the sacrifices they made, and the precious gift brought about by their selfless devotion can never be repaid. Neither shall it be forgotten”.

He said, “In this struggle, the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, the most significant symbol of our democratic struggle, his wife, Kudirat, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and Pa Alfred Rewane, among others sacrificed their very lives.

“They bravely surrendered their futures, so that our nation might have a better one.

“Let us honour the memories of Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Chief Arthur Nwankwo, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Frank Kokori, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Ganiyu Dawodu, Chief Ayo Fasanmi, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Olabiyi Durojaiye, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chima Ubani, and others who have transited to the higher realm.

“The sacrifices of General Alani Akinrinade, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Professor Wole Soyinka, Chief Ralph Obioha, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, among many others, should never be forgotten. For at least six years, they bore the pains and difficulties of life in exile.

“While the exiled pro-democracy activists kept the fire burning, their comrades at home sustained the pressure on the military brass hats. Among the latter are Olisa Agbakoba, Femi Falana, Abdul Oroh, Senator Shehu Sani, Governor Uba Sani, Chief Olu Falae, and other National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) leaders such as Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Ayo Opadokun.“

The President also recognised the sacrifices of the press and Nigerian journalists “who mounted the barricades along with the pro-democracy activists”.

‘Nigeria Must Continue With Democracy’

He said despite the challenges 25 years after the nation’s return from military regime to civil rule, Nigeria must continue with the choice of democracy.

“My dear compatriots, Nigeria faced a decision of untold gravity twenty-five years ago: Whether to veer toward a better destination or continue aimlessly in the fog of dictatorship. We made the right choice then. We must continue with that choice now,” the President said.

Warns Against Anti-Democratic Forces

He warned against anti-democratic forces “who will try to exploit current challenges to undermine, if not destroy, this democracy for which so much has already been given”.

“These people do this not to make things better but to subject all other people and things to their control and dominance until the point that, if you are not counted among their elite, then your life will be small and no longer owned by you.”

‘I’m A Beneficiary Of Democracy’

Tinubu, a former NADECO chief, described himself as a direct beneficiary of democracy and pledged to protect fundamental human rights and the principles of democratic governance.

“I stand uniquely placed in this regard. I was among those who took the risk to midwife the birth of our democracy. I am now a direct and obvious beneficiary of the fruits of those historic efforts.

“As president of this nation, I am morally and constitutionally bound to preserve this precious form of governance. I vow to do my utmost best to protect your rights, freedoms, and liberties as citizens of Nigeria.

“Even more than that, I pledge to do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as our way of life.”

With its return to democracy from the dark years of military rule on May 29, 1999, Nigeria celebrated Democracy Day every year on May 29. The day is to celebrate the ideals of democracy since the beginning of the Fourth Republic 25 years ago.

In 2018, the President Muhammadu Buhari moved Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12 in honour of one of the national heroes for democracy, Chief M.K.O Abiola and “to remind all Nigerians of one free election after which the presumed winner (Abiola) along with Nigerians were denied their rights and their choice”.

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I knew what poverty is when I became Emir – Sanusi Lamido

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“Do we actually love the people or do we just love ruling over them? What are our priorities?

The Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has said he got to know what poverty truly is when he mounted the throne.

Sanusi said this in a goodwill message at a public lecture with the theme: “Weaponization of poverty as a means of underdevelopment: A case study of Nigeria.”

It was held to commemorate the 60th birthday celebration of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, in Abuja, on Saturday.

The former CBN Governor said, “Many of the elites in Nigeria do not know what poverty is.

As an economist, former CBN Governor, I see the numbers. I did not know poverty until I became Emir.

“And you go to the village and see the water they drink, the houses they live in, the two block classrooms without roofs.

“Do we actually love the people or do we just love ruling over them? What are our priorities.?

We make overheads and underpasses for ourselves in the cities while there in the rural areas cannot reach hospitals. We are in crisis, how do we get out, should be our focus.”

Sanusi charged those saddled with the responsibility of leadership to inculcate the virtues of empathy with those they’ve been given a responsibility to lead.

Also speaking at the event, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed concern that Nigerians kept repeating the same mistake of electing the worst among us into leadership positions.

According to him, “We keep electing people who only know how to grab power but don’t know what to do with it.”

A former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf, in his intervention, explained that most of the cases being handled in hospitals were not medical.

Yusuf blamed corruption and bad governance for the multidimensional poverty in Nigeria. He emphasised that citizens live up to their responsibilities and vote for what is right.

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Defamation: Natasha will appear in court on Tuesday says Lead Counsel, Idahosa

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West Idahosa (SAN), the lead counsel to suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has confirmed that she will appear in court on Tuesday, as summoned.

However, he expressed uncertainty about whether the Federal Government planned to arraign her on Tuesday.

He said that whatever the plans of the Federal Government, Akpoti-Uduaghan, as a law-abiding citizen, would comply with the court’s directives.

The Federal Government, through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar, filed criminal charges against Akpoti-Uduaghan, alleging that she made defamatory statements during a live television broadcast and a private telephone conversation.

These statements reportedly targeted the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

According to the charge, filed on May 16, 2025, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court and marked CR/297/25, Akpoti-Uduaghan is accused of making a statement during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels TV on April 3, 2025, where she alleged that Akpabio and Bello discussed plans to assassinate her.

“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night— to eliminate me… he then emphasised that I should be killed in Kogi,” the charge quotes her as saying.

Additionally, the government accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of making defamatory remarks in a telephone conversation on March 27, 2025.

In the conversation with a woman named Dr Sandra Duru, Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly claimed that Akpabio was linked to organ harvesting involving the late Iniubong Umoren, purportedly for the benefit of his ailing wife.

Akpabio, Bello, and four others have been listed as key witnesses in the trial.

Idahosa also reiterated the readiness of the legal team to defend Akpoti-Uduaghan in court.

He said, “If the case is called tomorrow, we will respond accordingly with our client.

“The issue of protest is irrelevant to us — we are lawyers, and our focus is on defending charges we believe can be contested. Protests are the domain of civil societies and others in that terrain,” Idahosa said.

He further stated, “Our client is a law-abiding citizen. Why wouldn’t she be there? It’s a summons we have undertaken. Only disrespectful institutions that disregard court orders would fail to appear, and she is not in that category.

”When asked about the possibility of arraignment, Idahosa noted, “We don’t know.

We saw a notice of amended charges. We don’t know what they are trying to do.

They’ve amended the charges once and could do so again—it’s their decision.”

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NSEMA Recovers 153 Dead Body in Mokwa Flood

The director- general of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba Arah, disclosed this yesterday while giving the daily update on the Disaster.

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The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has announced the discoveries of more dead bodies under a bridge bringing the death toll to 153 in the Mokwa Flood.

The director- general of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba Arah, disclosed this yesterday while giving the daily update on the Disaster.

He said, “Two more dead bodies were recovered late yesterday (Saturday) under the bridge.

They were buried this morning (yesterday).”The director general said that with the latest development, the death toll has now been put at 153, and the affected population is now 3,018.

He said at Ndayako village, no death was recorded, but that 98 people were displaced and 58 houses were also washed away.

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