Democracy Day: Tinubu Confers National Honours on Journalists, Generals, Activists

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday marked the 2026 Democracy Day with the conferment of national honours on 51 Nigerians drawn from the media, civil society, pro-democracy movements and the military establishment, in recognition of their roles in the struggle against military rule and the entrenchment of civilian governance.

In a nationwide broadcast commemorating 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, Tinubu paid tribute to the late M.K.O Abiola, describing him and other June 12 icons as the bedrock of Nigeria’s democratic journey. He noted that while the system remained imperfect, democracy had continued to offer the most viable path to national progress and stability.

Among those honoured were leading figures of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), including Ayo Opadokun, Ralph Obioha, and the late Arthur Nwankwo (posthumous). Media veterans such as Lade Bonuola, Femi Kusa, Ademola Osinubi and Dele Alake were also recognised alongside activists Joe Okei-Odumakin, Richard Akinnola and Sylvester Odion-Akhaine.

The President also singled out what he described as “soldier-democrats” who resisted military authoritarianism, including Sambo Dasuki, Lawan Gwadabe, Major-General Ishola Williams and Brigadier General Yahaya Abubakar.

In a major institutional reform announcement, Tinubu approved the renaming of the Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, which is now to be known as the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology, in honour of the late statesman.

Addressing the nation’s security concerns, particularly recent abductions in Oyo and Borno States, Tinubu declared that “democracy without security is a mirage,” adding that the 2026 budget allocates N5.41 trillion to defence and includes plans to recruit over 50,000 police officers.

“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,” he warned, noting that terror-related deaths had declined significantly since 2015 while thousands of insurgents had been neutralised within the past year.

On economic reforms, the President defended ongoing policy measures, saying they were necessary to stabilise public finances and reposition the economy. He added that the next phase of governance would focus on ensuring that “democracy is felt in the pocket” of ordinary Nigerians through job creation, inflation control and increased local production.

Tinubu also announced the empowerment of the Presidential Power Sector Task Force to raise a N4 trillion bond aimed at clearing legacy debts in the electricity sector, stressing that the Electricity Act was already improving decentralised power generation across states.

Reaffirming his administration’s push for grassroots governance, he restated the commitment to full financial autonomy for Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, linking rising rural insecurity to the weakening of local institutions.

Urging political leaders to uphold democratic values ahead of forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, Tinubu concluded: “The generation of our founding fathers secured independence—the generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity.”