THE National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu , has called on Nigerians to stand up for democracy, irrespective of whatever challenges besetting the nation today, “lest we shall find ourselves falling to oblivion.”
This was contained in his Democracy Day good will message to Nigeria.
Tinubu said democratic good governance offers the only reasonable solution to the challenges confronting Nigeria.
“Thus, we must stand for democracy today. We must stand for it even more tomorrow. Ask this question 10, 20, 100 years from now, the answer must remain the same: the people of Nigeria stand for democracy and stand against that which would chase democracy from our land,” he said.
The APC leader urged the people to “stand against those who traffic in insurrection and violence,” whose commerce is bigotry and hatred.
He said when many more chapters of the history of Nigeria will be written, one of the most profound and inspiring accounts will be how the people moved from the darkness of authoritarian military suppression into the light of democracy and the establishment of popular government based on the sovereign will of the people.
Tinubu deplored those he said trade in violence and insurrection, who “do not believe in a nation where every person therein has substantive rights, freedoms and liberties as God intended for all of his human creations regardless of place of birth, ethnic origin, social station or religious creed.”
He also acknowledged those who paid the supreme sacrifice to entrench democracy, especially the late MKO Abiola, who was denied his presidential victory, but remained resolute and paid with his life to plant the seed of democracy enjoyed today.
“Without his historic effort and sacrifice, this day would not be democracy day. It would be a downcast and disappointing one. Let us also remember all others who also sacrificed so much to bring democracy to this land.
“We best honor these people not by reciting their names but by injecting the spirit and hope of democracy into our words and deeds. In becoming better democrats, we also become better at being Nigerians,” he said.
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