Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, has insisted that politicians, not academics, are behind attempts to undermine Nigeria’s electoral integrity.

He said the involvement of professors in election duties has largely strengthened the process, despite isolated incidents of wrongdoing.

Speaking on Thursday at The Platform, an annual Democracy Day event hosted by Covenant Nation in Lagos, Jega defended his decision to involve university lecturers and vice-chancellors in electoral duties during his tenure as INEC chair from 2010 to 2015.

According to Jega, many of these academics were recruited through a transparent process, often with recommendations from vice-chancellors across the country.

“Election was terrible by the time we came to INEC. I was lucky, I was a co-chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors before I went to INEC,” he said.

“So, I used the vice-chancellors to help us get academic staff with good, transparent selection criteria, which they vouch for. That’s how we started using academic staff during elections,” he explained.

Jega pointed out that despite bribes and inducements often offered by desperate politicians, most professors have upheld their professional integrity.

“Up till 2015, in fact after the 2011 elections, the NBA (Nigerian Bar Association), and the NSE (The Nigerian Society of Engineers), all came and said they wanted to participate in the elections but we said: ‘Look, when you are doing something and it works, why change it?’” he recalled.

“So, we stuck with the professors, and I can tell you frankly, the level of integrity they brought to the election (is unmatched).”

He emphasized that professors, especially senior ones with long-standing careers, are unlikely to risk their reputations over elections.

“A vice chancellor who has served 35 years in the university system, who has a few years to retire, a substantial overwhelming majority of them are not going to damage their integrity that they built over the years on the matters of election,” Jega stated.

While acknowledging that a few cases of misconduct have occurred, Jega urged Nigerians not to generalize based on isolated incidents.

“Of course, politicians use all methods of inducements, but the fact that only about two professors, not to talk of vice-chancellors, have been prosecuted for electoral offenses, frankly, is statistically insignificant,” he said.

“It is terrible that it has happened, but I don’t think it is something we can use to say we shouldn’t use professors in the conduct of elections.”

Indeed, two notable convictions were cited. In April 2025, the Court of Appeal in Calabar upheld the conviction of Peter Ogban, a soil science professor at the University of Calabar, who had earlier been sentenced to three years in prison for manipulating election results during the 2019 senatorial polls in Akwa Ibom North-West.

Similarly, in February 2025, Professor Ignatius Nduk, a Human Kinetics lecturer from the University of Uyo, received a three-year sentence from an Akwa Ibom High Court for publishing false results during the 2019 Essien Udim State Constituency election.

Still, Jega, currently the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council at Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Kano, and a member of the International Elections Advisory Council, maintains that such isolated cases should not overshadow the integrity and value that academics bring to Nigeria’s elections.

As Nigeria marked Democracy Day on Thursday, President Bola Tinubu delivered a strong message in support of free speech, calling on security agencies and political allies to respect the right of citizens to voice criticism, even when directed at his administration.

Speaking at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja during his third Democracy Day address, the President emphasized the importance of tolerance in a democratic society.

“Democracy requires a fair degree of tolerance for harsh words and stinging insults,” Tinubu declared before members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

“Call me names, call me whatever you will, and I will still call upon democracy to defend your right to do so.”

The President’s remarks come amid ongoing concerns from civil society organisations and media watchdogs about alleged repression of journalists and critics by state security agents.

Several Nigerian journalists, including Daniel Ojukwu, Adejuwon Soyinka, and Segun Olatunji, have reportedly faced detention in the past two years under controversial interpretations of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act 2015 and other laws. Critics argue these actions violate Chapter 4, Section 39(a) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression and information.

Referring to those concerns, Tinubu told lawmakers and his supporters to champion constructive dialogue over coercion.

“Be tolerant and broad-minded in your legislative action regarding speech and civil liberties,” he said.

Tinubu’s administration has been criticized by media professionals, civil rights activists, and groups such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria), who have decried what they describe as a rise in “Gestapo-style” arrests and censorship of dissenting voices.

Such tactics, they say, evoke the repression of Nigeria’s military era, something they believe has no place in a democratic nation 26 years into civilian rule.

Acknowledging these concerns, the President appeared to distance himself from any actions that might suppress free expression.

“Do not be afraid to hear an unkind word spoken against you. Some of the best advice a politician gets sometimes comes from his most ferocious opponents,” Tinubu said.

“We dare not seek silence because the imposed silence of repressed voices breeds chaos and ill will, not the harmonics of democracy in the long term.”

“While malicious slander and libel should not go unattended, no one should bear the brunt of injustice for merely writing a bad report about me or calling me names.”

Tinubu reaffirmed his belief in the strength and potential of Nigeria’s democratic system.

“Our nation is not perfect, but it is strong. Our democracy is not invincible, but it is alive. And this means our dream of a prosperous, happy nation is still within reach and worth fighting for.”

The President also addressed growing concerns about Nigeria potentially evolving into a one-party state, an allegation made by some opposition figures.

Tinubu firmly dismissed those claims.

As the country reflects on its democratic journey, one anchored in the legacy of the June 12, 1993 election, Tinubu’s emphasis on civil liberties is being closely watched by both supporters and critics as a test of the administration’s commitment to democratic ideals.

The Progressives Alliance of Nigeria (PAN) has called on Nigerians to deepen their commitment to democratic values, even as the nation marks 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.

In a message delivered to commemorate Democracy Day on June 12, 2025, PAN’s National Coordinator, Hon. Obioma Nnamani (JP), described the day as more than a national holiday, referring to it as “a powerful symbol of our collective struggle, sacrifice, and resilience in the pursuit of justice, equity, and good governance.”

The association reflected on the significance of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest, which was annulled by the military government.

“Nnamani noted that although the election results were never honoured, the moment became “a catalyst for the democratic progress we enjoy today.”

“We honour the memory of Chief M.K.O. Abiola and all those who paid the ultimate price for our democracy,” he said.

PAN’s address highlighted the group’s commitment to the core pillars of democracy, freedom, participation, accountability, and the rule of law, and emphasized that these principles must be nurtured by both leaders and citizens alike.

“These are not just political ideals,” Nnamani stated, “they are the foundation of a just society where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive.”

While applauding the nation’s democratic milestones, PAN urged Nigerians not to lose sight of the challenges still facing the country. Issues such as insecurity, corruption, unemployment, poverty, and electoral malpractice were listed as ongoing threats to Nigeria’s democratic journey.

“True democracy is not a destination; it is a journey that demands the active participation of all of us,” he stressed.

The association encouraged citizens to be more engaged in nation-building, urging them to promote unity, truth, and hope within their communities and professions.

“Let us demand good governance and accountability from our leaders, but also let us be responsible citizens,” Nnamani urged.

PAN also reaffirmed its commitment to working alongside key stakeholders, including government, civil society, and the private sector, to build a stronger and more inclusive Nigeria.

Concluding the address, Nnamani celebrated the nation’s resilience and called for renewed national commitment:

“We celebrate our democracy, honour our heroes, and renew our commitment to a better Nigeria. Happy Democracy Day, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Democracy Day, formally recognised on June 12 by the Nigerian government in 2018, marks a pivotal chapter in the nation’s political evolution, following years of military rule and political upheaval.

In a landmark decision aligning with the spirit of Nigeria’s Democracy Day, the National Assembly has formally adopted June 12 as the annual date for the President to address a joint session of the legislature.

The resolution was reached during a special sitting at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Thursday, where President Bola Tinubu delivered a commemorative address to mark the day.

Presiding over the joint session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio affirmed the motion, which was introduced by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

“Mr President, in the eloquent speech by the Honourable Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, he raised a motion that June 12 should be formalised as the Presidential Day of Address to the joint session of the National Assembly. I hereby put the question,” Akpabio announced.

“Those in support of the motion, moved and seconded, say ‘Aye’; those against say ‘Nay’. The ‘Ayes’ have it.”

Following the decision, Akpabio directly addressed President Tinubu, expressing satisfaction with the day’s proceedings.

“Mr President, that is the motion of the National Assembly, done in your presence. Mr Speaker, the statistics do not lie, we are quite happy with the data you rolled out and the House that we all run.”

The move to institutionalise June 12 as the official date for the presidential address had been anticipated.

On Tuesday, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed to journalists that a bill was being drafted to make the practice permanent.

“We are hoping to bring a bill soon to institutionalise the President’s address on June 12 because of its historical importance.”

“There can’t be a better time to address the nation through the Parliament than on June 12, especially since it is a joint sitting of the National Assembly,” he stated.

Bamidele also revealed that the forthcoming legislation would propose the National Assembly complex as the designated location for future presidential inaugurations.

“In that bill, we are hoping to ensure that the swearing-in ceremony of the next President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria, whom we believe will be President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will be held within the arcade of the National Assembly.”

As part of the Democracy Day activities, President Tinubu also awarded national honours to several key figures in Nigeria’s democratic history.

Among them was the late Kudirat Abiola, wife of MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 election.

Honours were also conferred on Professor Humphrey Nwosu, former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), and the late Vice President Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.

The date of June 12 holds a special place in Nigeria’s political evolution.

It marks the anniversary of the 1993 general election, which was widely hailed as Nigeria’s fairest but controversially annulled by then-military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida.

This triggered a wave of civil unrest and decades of democratic activism.

Recognising its significance, former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 designated June 12 as Nigeria’s official Democracy Day, replacing May 29.

In a major admission earlier this year, Babangida acknowledged in his February 2025 memoir that MKO Abiola had indeed won the 1993 presidential election.

The statement reignited conversations on Nigeria’s democratic trajectory and the price paid for its preservation.

The adoption of June 12 as the formal day for presidential addresses now adds another layer of institutional recognition to the legacy of Nigeria’s pro-democracy heroes.

Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo has commended President Bola Tinubu for initiating bold structural reforms that, in his view, saved Nigeria’s economy from a total breakdown.

Speaking during The Platform, a special Democracy Day event hosted by The Covenant Nation in Iganmu, Lagos, Soludo, himself a former Central Bank Governor, praised the administration’s decisive actions, which he said prevented the economy from crossing a dangerous threshold.

“I’d disappoint many who would expect me to comment harshly on the economy or offer yet another blueprint for economic reforms.”

“I’m not shy to say this: the audacious structural reforms embarked upon by the current administration of President Bola Tinubu have rescued the economy from the tipping point,” Soludo said.

Since taking office in May 2023, President Tinubu has launched a series of economic reforms, including the highly debated removal of petrol subsidies and the merging of Nigeria’s multiple exchange rate windows.

Although these policies have increased the cost of living, fueling spikes in transportation fares, food prices, and utilities, they have also been praised by economists as essential for long-term recovery.

Soludo acknowledged the international praise the country has received for these measures.

“The endorsement by the World Bank, the IMF, the London Financial Times, and more in Nigeria is well deserved,” he noted.

Drawing from his tenure as CBN Governor, Soludo reflected on his past dealings with global financial institutions.

He said while he had previously rejected World Bank loan offers due to tough conditions, he believes their recent assessment of Nigeria’s economic direction is accurate.

“On the matter of the trajectory of the current economic reforms, the World Bank and others, in my view, are largely right,” he said.

“When these institutions criticise the government, some people use them as validation of their own criticism.”

“But when the same institutions give a positive report, they are derided as ‘neoliberal, out-of-touch’ institutions. We can’t have it both ways.”

“The Economy Needed to Breathe Again”

The Anambra Governor argued that the Tinubu administration had little choice but to implement drastic changes in order to unlock the economy.

“If we didn’t do the kind of subsidy removal and deal with the exchange rate issues, we would have reached a point where the economy was just standing still.”

“We couldn’t move any further. We needed fundamental rejigging for it to begin to breathe again and thank God, at least, we are here,” he explained.

While he admitted the economic recovery is far from complete, Soludo urged the government not to lose momentum.

“There is still a lot more to do, but I urge the President and his team to steer the course.”

“Many analysts have interesting opinions and quotes, but I urge them to go deeper, with rigorous, factual analysis, and to provide credible alternatives,” he said.

He ended on a philosophical note, quoting a friend:

“The past is always easy, especially if you are not the one doing it.”

The Platform event brought together prominent Nigerian leaders and thinkers as part of the Democracy Day celebrations.

Other speakers included former INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega, ex-Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, and various state governors and national figures.

President Bola Tinubu has granted a full posthumous presidential pardon to the late environmental activist, Ken Saro Wiwa, and eight other members of the Ogoni Nine, who were executed by the military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1995.

The announcement was made during Tinubu’s address to a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday, June 12, 2025, as part of events marking Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

Describing the nine men as national heroes, Tinubu said the pardon was issued under the constitutional powers granted by the Prerogative of Mercy.

In addition to the pardon, the president also conferred national honours on the late activists.

Ken Saro Wiwa was posthumously awarded the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), while the other eight, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine, each received the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

Tinubu declared:

“Furthermore, I also confer posthumous national honours on Ken Saro Wiwa (CON), the leader of the Ogoni Nine, and his fellow travellers, Saturday Dobee (OON), Nordu Eawo (OON), Daniel Gbooko (OON), Paul Levera (OON), Felix Nuate (OON), Baribor Bera (OON), Barinem Kiobel (OON), and John Kpuine (OON).”

“I shall also be exercising my powers under the prerogative of mercy to grant these national heroes a full pardon, together with others whose names shall be announced later in conjunction with the National Council of State.”

The execution of the Ogoni Nine nearly three decades ago sparked outrage across the globe, drawing strong condemnation from civil society groups and the international community.

Their trial and conviction had been widely criticized as politically motivated and lacking in due process.

Since assuming office in May 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has had his name inscribed on some of the most prominent public structures in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

In just two years, at least six government facilities, spanning education, military, legislative, and tech sectors, have been named in his honour.

These renamings and inaugurations reflect growing institutional recognition of his leadership, although some moves have sparked public debate.

Here’s a full breakdown of the structures renamed or established after Tinubu:

1. Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks, Abuja

Inaugurated: January 23, 2025
Located in Asokoro, this new military installation was named by the Nigerian Army. Designed to improve troop housing and reinforce operational capacity in the FCT, the barracks represent the armed forces’ tribute to Tinubu’s leadership.

2. Bola Ahmed Tinubu Polytechnic, Abuja

Announced: January 16, 2025
This newly established federal polytechnic in Gwarinpa was formally named by the Federal Ministry of Education. According to officials, the institution aims to “expand access to technical and vocational education in the FCT.”

3. Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (BATTIC)

Commissioned: December 2024
Launched by the Ministry of Interior, this digital research and innovation hub serves the Nigeria Immigration Service. It aligns with the administration’s digital transformation vision, which officials describe as part of Tinubu’s “tech-forward agenda.”

4. Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu Building (National Assembly Library)

Renamed: May 29, 2024
On the first anniversary of Tinubu’s presidency, the National Assembly renamed its legislative documentation and research centre in his honour. The building is now officially known as the Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu Building, recognizing his “contributions to national development,” lawmakers said during the renaming.

5. Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way, Abuja

Implemented: March 2024
A significant stretch of the Southern Parkway was quietly renamed Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way. Though no formal ceremony was held, new signage confirmed the name change, marking yet another major infrastructure point reflecting Tinubu’s legacy.

6. Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre (ICC)

Renamed: June 10, 2025
The most high-profile of the changes, the International Conference Centre (ICC)—one of Abuja’s most iconic venues for national and global gatherings, was officially renamed in Tinubu’s honour. The renaming came amid ongoing renovations, and drew both praise and criticism, especially in light of a ₦39 billion renovation controversy.

As Nigerians marked Democracy Day on June 12, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) issued a strong statement calling on citizens to rise against what it described as the anti-democratic agenda of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The opposition party warned of a plot by the APC to impose a “despotic one-party regime” in the country.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP accused the APC of dismantling key democratic institutions and stifling political opposition.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calls on Nigerians to use the occasion of the June 12 Democracy Day to re-awaken and strengthen their resistance to the anti-democratic designs of the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly the plot to foist a despotic One-Party regime in Nigeria,” the party said.

The PDP appealed to Nigerians and democratic institutions both local and international to defend the rule of law and civil liberties.

“The PDP urges Nigerians, Institutions of Democracy, Organized Civil Society, Development Partners and indeed all lovers of democracy to unite in speaking out against the stifling of democratic tenets of justice, the Rule of Law, free, fair, peaceful credible electoral process and the right of citizens particularly to freely participate in politics and governance in Nigeria.”

The opposition party also alleged that poverty is being deliberately used by the APC as a political weapon to manipulate the populace.

“The PDP is alarmed by the anti-democratic actions of the APC government which continues to use compromised state apparatus of powers and control to brazenly violate the Constitution, emasculate opposition, defy and abridge the liberty of the citizens to freely elect their leaders, corrupt and manipulate Institutions of Democracy, asphyxiate the media and weaponise poverty, all in the attempt to impose a defeatist mentality on the people and turn our nation into a fiefdom and personal estate of few individuals in power.”

It further criticized what it described as an unaccountable presidency, colluding with compromised officials in the National Assembly and Judiciary.

“More distressing is that the APC-led Presidency has remained unaccountable while colluding with the corrupt, rubber stamp APC leadership in the National Assembly and certain compromised Judicial officers at very high places to undermine the sovereignty of the people ostensibly to clear the path for a totalitarian system in our country.”

The PDP pointed to recent political events as signs of erosion of democracy, including the crisis in Rivers State and the disputed Edo State governorship election.

“The brazen resort to State Capture as exemplified in the subversion of the Will of the people in the 2024 Edo State Governorship election, the widely condemned overthrow of a democratically elected government and imposition of a Sole Administrator in Rivers State in blatant violation of the clear provisions of the 1999 Constitution among other Constitutional infractions signpost a clear and present danger to our democracy,” the statement said.

The party emphasized that June 12 should symbolize the struggle for true democracy, and urged citizens to defend their democratic rights.

“June 12 Democracy Day, therefore, embodies the struggle by Nigerians against an oppressive, despotic and lawless system driven by impunity, high-level deception and reckless anti-people tendencies as being witnessed under the APC administration.”

“It also represents the insistence by Nigerians for a system that is accountable to the people, operates on the Rule of Law and democratic principles of freedom, justice, fairness, equity, credible elections, national cohesion, transparency and accountability in government, which Chief MKO Abiola personified and died for.”

The PDP also called on the ruling party to honour Chief MKO Abiola’s legacy by respecting democratic norms.

“The PDP therefore demands that the APC administration respects the memory of Chief Abiola, the law and sovereignty of the Nigerian people by adhering to the Principle of Separation of Powers, end the intrusion in the activities of the National Assembly and other Democracy Institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Judiciary, allow for a free press, commit to credible elections, be truthful, transparent and review all its poverty weaponising policies.”

“Against this backdrop, our Party demands that the National Assembly, the Judiciary and INEC assert their Constitutional Independence and operate only on the basis of the Rule of Law and the collective interest of the people in the promotion of the tenets of democracy.”

In its Democracy Day message, the party congratulated Nigerians and called for vigilance.

“The PDP however congratulates Nigerians on this year’s Democracy Day and urges them not to allow the vicious plot of any individual or group to destroy their confidence in Democracy but remain law-abiding and continue to rally with the PDP as we reposition ahead of the 2027 elections to rescue our nation from the stranglehold of the APC.”