President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday declared that while the heroes of the June 12 struggle secured democracy for Nigeria, the responsibility of the current generation is to deliver economic prosperity to citizens.
In his Democracy Day address to the nation, Tinubu said the country’s democratic journey must now translate into improved living conditions, jobs, opportunities and economic freedom for millions of Nigerians.
“Every generation has a defining responsibility. The generation of our founding fathers secured independence—the generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity,” the President said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule since 1999, Tinubu described June 12 as a defining moment in the country’s history and paid tribute to the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and other pro-democracy activists whose sacrifices helped restore civilian rule.
He said democracy should not be measured only by elections and political freedoms but by its impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.
“June 12, 1993, revealed the possibility of a true Nigerian nation. The heroes of June 12 secured political freedom. Our challenge is to secure economic freedom. Democracy must be felt in the quality of people’s lives—in opportunities for youth, in prosperous farmers, successful entrepreneurs, and the dignity of our workers,” he stated.
The President defended his administration’s economic reforms, arguing that difficult decisions taken since 2023 were necessary to stabilise public finances and restore investor confidence.
According to him, federation revenues have increased, fiscal transparency has improved and investments are returning to critical sectors including agriculture, energy, manufacturing, mining, transportation and technology.
Tinubu also highlighted efforts to reform the electricity sector, noting that the Electricity Act has empowered states to generate, transmit and distribute power, while measures are being implemented to address legacy debts and expand electricity access through off-grid and mini-grid projects.
Despite these efforts, he acknowledged that many Nigerians continue to face economic hardship.
“Yet, many Nigerians still face economic hardship. We remain focused on reducing inflation, expanding food production, creating jobs, improving living standards, rebuilding confidence in our economy, and creating conditions for sustainable prosperity,” he said.
On security, the President said democracy cannot thrive without safety, citing the recent abductions of schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states as painful reminders of the country’s security challenges.
“Democracy without security is not solid enough,” Tinubu said, adding that his administration had declared a security emergency and approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 police officers alongside thousands of military personnel.
He disclosed that the 2026 budget allocated N5.41 trillion to defence and security, describing it as the largest security allocation in the country’s history.
The President claimed that terror-related deaths had fallen significantly and that over 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised in the past year, while more than 124,000 fighters and their dependents had surrendered through Operation Safe Corridor since 2023.
Issuing a stern warning to criminal groups, Tinubu declared: “To bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror: Surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State. These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians.”
He also called for national unity, urging Nigerians not to politicise insecurity or assign ethnic identities to crime.
“Crime has no ethnicity. We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history,” he said.
Tinubu used the occasion to announce the renaming of the Institute of Petroleum Studies in Kaduna as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology in honour of the late military officer and pro-democracy figure.
He further unveiled a list of pro-democracy activists, journalists, politicians and retired military officers approved for national honours in recognition of their contributions to the struggle for democratic rule.
Addressing young Nigerians directly, the President urged them to remain committed to building the country.
“Nigeria is your home and your future. Build here, code here, work here, and vote here. Every great nation was built by those who stayed to solve problems, not by those who abandoned ship,” he said.
As the country marked Democracy Day, Tinubu urged citizens to reject division and despair and embrace a common national purpose.
“The road ahead is steep. But June 12 reminds us: Nigerians do not break. We bend, we bleed, but we do not break,” the President said.This version is structured like a premium newspaper/online political story, with the strongest news angle in the lead, key quotes preserved verbatim, and the major policy announcements woven into the narrative.