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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Presidential Candidate for the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has admonished Nigerians to let the June 12 they celebrate today be a critical assessment of the nation’s political landscape.
The 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate also wants a repeat of the 1993 credible election in 2027.

Writing on his X handle this morning, Obi said, “Today, we are observing a day that should mean a lot to us as a people who cherish democratic principles. Every year on June 12, the conversation inevitably turns to a critical assessment of the state of the nation. It serves as an annual baseline for asking: Are our current elections as transparent as they were in 1993? Is the social contract being honoured? Are the institutions of governance truly serving the people?

Ultimately, June 12 is a powerful blend of reflection and aspiration. It honours a fractured past while serving as a constant, foundational reminder of the immense power inherent in the collective democratic will of the Nigerian people.

For us in Nigeria, June 12 is not merely a date on the calendar; it is the emotional and structural bedrock of the modern democratic identity. Officially recognised as Democracy Day, June 12 carries deep historical, political, and social weight, representing both a monumental tragedy and the ultimate triumph of the collective citizen will.

To understand what June 12 means to Nigeria, one must look at its history, its evolution, and its ongoing symbolism. A New Nigeria of true democracy is possible.

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

On this occasion of Democracy Day 2026, I reflect with deep humility on a journey that many of us walked with courage, conviction, and sacrifice.

As a student leader in the early 1990s, serving first as Welfare Secretary of the University of Jos Student Union Government and later as Secretary-General of the National Association of Nigerian Students, I had a close view of what it meant to struggle for democratic governance in Nigeria. Those were difficult and defining years.

We were driven not by comfort, but by conviction. We believed that democracy was not a privilege to be negotiated, but a right to be demanded. In that pursuit, many of us paid a heavy price. We were beaten, detained, harassed, and faced with intimidation and frivolous charges. Yet, despite the risks and the pain, we remained committed to the idea of a freer and more just Nigeria.

Those experiences were part of a broader national struggle that shaped the democratic transition our country eventually achieved in 1999, following years of political tension, civic resistance, and events such as the June 12 crisis that tested the conscience of the nation.

Today, as we celebrate democracy in 2026, I do so with gratitude for how far we have come, and with a sober reminder that democracy is never finished—it must be protected, deepened, and renewed by every generation.

Yet I cannot hide my concern that we risk losing some of the guiding principles we once fought for so fiercely—discipline in leadership, accountability in public office, and a culture that rewards merit over mediocrity. The democracy we fought for was never meant to be only about elections, but about excellence, accountability, and service.

Those of us who were part of that era, and others who shared similar experiences, should also feel free to contribute their reflections and experiences in the comments, so that the memory and lessons of that struggle are not lost.

To the young people of today: the responsibility has not ended. It has simply changed hands.

Happy Democracy Day, Nigeria.

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…says the gains of June 12 was not well cultivated

… PDP expecting more returnees after 2027 general election

Hon TeeJay Yusuf is an economist, estate management magnate, three term member of the HoR, (2011-2023) Peoples Democratic Party PDP Board of Trustees, BoT member, former national scribe of NANS, in this interview spoke on his personal experience during June 12 struggle, gains and losses, the PDP rejuvenation and its future and other sundry matters.

Today is June 12 and you were one of the apostles that fought against the military as a student union leader those days. All the dreams and all the struggles of June 12 have they really come to reality, considering what’s happening in the country today.

Thank you very much for this privilege. Straight to the point, no, I cannot say we are there. In fact, I could give out a pass mark. However, I must say we have left Egypt. The mere fact that we succeeded in pushing out the military and that is a norm now. It’s in our national psyche that military rule is an aberration. You cannot quantify or put, I mean, string value to that. It helps build a nation, where civil rule.

In fact, there are kids in some part of the world, if you mention pothole, they don’t know what it is. So we are beginning to build a culture of civil rule. Not the idea civil rule, because we lack the basic orientation required. We’ve failed in that aspect. We are part of the failure. Young people at that time put themselves in groups. We did not manage the transition properly. We didn’t prepare for it. And we don’t have the institutional backup to help ourselves to transit from agitation against military rule and agitation within the civil rule. The same mindset, the same energy and the same tactics against military was introduced. And unfortunately, that’s where we are now.

The citizenry are not properly orientated. Some take civil rule to be lawlessness, to be an opportunity, to be whatever you want to be, stealing unrestricted. Then the psyche of an average Nigerian is that they have been used to military rule and when the soldier is in power, they can do anything. So they expect you to as a civilian when you are power do exactly that. So we build our own militocracy as democracy is. So if you are not in that line, you have failed.

Some people will even tell you you have wasted the opportunity they gave you, because you are not the absolute ruler they expect you to be. So I don’t know if I’m able to explain that to say yes and no. Yes, we have civil rule. Yes, we have a sense of representation. Yes, we have democratic principles or institutions or culture that is not thoroughly deepened, that is being, for lack of a better word, there is what we call a hermaphrodite, you are a man and you are a woman, we are in civil and we are in military rule. If there is such thing, or we call it militocracy in the military days that is what we have. So we are not there. But we must celebrate the fact that people laid their lives, struggle, and make sure that we move from where we were then. I tell people that if you are not privileged to know where we were, you won’t value what we have now. I remember in 1993 or 1994, I can’t remember vividly, CDHR office was in the Ogba side, and I was coming from Falana Chamber in Awolowo in Ikeja, I took a bike. Normal police stop to ask for money from bike men. I don’t know, maybe they know it’s me, I don’t know. They just stopped the bike. I just rechecked what I had in my hand. I just drafted a press statement against the government. I don’t know what, but I used the word charade against what they were doing. And the policeman flared up. You call government charade? Maybe he knows the meaning of charade, I don’t know. But he took Segun Mayegun then former NANS President, to mobilise people from Awolowo in Ikeja to come and rescue me from him. Now, people I mean, the social media, unfortunately now, arbitrarily turned to something else. In fact, I don’t know if I should go there. My fear about social media is that the volume of fake news being diseminated through the social media. Then you are even speaking truth. You are just voicing out the opinion of your people and you are in trouble. But now people lie. What was not said, you just create it. So I think we can say, yes, we are there, but we are not there.

A little digression to PDP. You are a BoT member of the PDP, and there have been complaints here and there that many people who left the PDP, that went to contest these last primaries, are really regretting for leaving PDP. Because one, they feel that PDP remains the most structured party in Nigeria, and like you’ve always mentioned in different interviews, that PDP is the most structured party in Nigeria, and PDP will give you your rights. Can the PDP of today give people their rights?

Very well. Nothing has changed in the PDP, apart from the fact that we do not have the kind of presence. I will not lie that people who have left us didn’t affect the party. But as for the principles and values of PDP, some primaries being conducted, if people go to do consensus, there will be genuine interaction. I mean they won’t just wake up. The other parties are mostly a contribution of one businessman who runs his business. So PDP is still the only party where true democratic values are being entrenched. A lot of them who left, I know they will come back, not now maybe after the election. I saw what’s called reality.com after the election, and they want to, because there is no other way than to come back home. Ego, we allow ego to take us to where we are now. Some persons, and some people are still on that trajectory. The Turaki group are still on that trajectory. When they lost at the Appeal Court then before convention, there was an offer to them, come, let’s sit down, they didn’t. Now, they are busy chasing shadows. I don’t know what they are chasing. They will interpret verdicts ,that’s all the things I say about social media.

And unfortunately, the main media too, are doing the same thing. They are taking those information. Somebody will write an opinion of a judgment, and send it as the judgment. And you will find people carrying it, and you will find discussion in major TV outlets, centred around the opinion of that man, as the judgment. Have you seen the judgment? How come? Then, I tell people, INEC took out David Mark name when Appeal Court gave judgment about… When Supreme Court gave a counter judgement INEC replaced him. So, if Turaki claims they have victory, why don’t you take your judgment to INEC? Why on social media, why is Makinde in APM with his people? If they have judgment, why won’t they run on the PDP? Why are the people running on PDP? We believe we have judgment. So, PDP is not at its best now, but in principles and values, it’s still better than all the political parties. I’m sorry, APC is not better, I mean, look at what’s happening with APC. Primaries are done, you are waiting for National Working Committee to announce who won primary. PDP, you know who has won your primary from that day. This culture of somebody, somewhere, determine who gets ticket. That’s what got APC to that level. So that’s for another day, they can enjoy such because we are not at our best at PDP. If we are at our best they won’t try what you are doing now.

So what is the future of the PDP now?

We are out of the woods, we were in a very bad shape but we are out now. We are not there. So, by implication, it will be growing from glory to glory. I have that conviction. We will win some seats. Not as the number we had before, but I am very sure that we are growing. Even before the elections some people are coming back to the PDP. So, I would say for presidential, I don’t have so much confidence about what we can do.

But Governorship, Assembly, Reps, Senate we will make a lot of impact and that will prepare us for the election after this. For 2027, it is to establish the fact that PDP still exists and rebuilding starts.