Retired Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for recognising members of the Nigerian Armed Forces who played significant roles in the struggle to restore democracy following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Dangiwa Umar, a former military officer and pro-democracy advocate, expressed his appreciation in an open letter to the president, describing the recognition as a fitting tribute to officers who risked their lives in the fight against injustice and in the restoration of democratic governance.
In the letter, Umar said he was pleased that the president publicly acknowledged the sacrifices of some military officers during his Democracy Day address on June 12, 2026, noting that the issue had formed part of his public intervention on the same occasion last year.
“It is indeed fit and proper that citizens who put their lives on the line in the struggle to redress the injustice of the annulment of the presidential election of June 12th, 1993 are publicly recognized,” he stated.
The retired colonel also thanked the president for honouring other non-military heroes who made sacrifices in the campaign against the annulment of the election widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll.
According to him, June 12 remains a watershed in Nigeria’s democratic journey and deserves continued national recognition.
He expressed confidence that other individuals, both living and deceased, who contributed to the democratic struggle would also be identified and honoured in the future.
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While commending the president, Umar drew attention to Tinubu’s observation during the Democracy Day speech that Nigeria’s democracy remains a work in progress, particularly in the area of security.
He questioned whether the remark reflected humility or concern over the challenges facing the country, stressing that those who fought for democracy in 1993 considered the security of citizens a fundamental responsibility of government.
“If national security is missing, that would be the end of the discussion; nothing else matters,” he said.
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Umar further recalled that the officers who participated in the pro-democracy struggle envisioned a system anchored on the separation of powers, an independent judiciary, credible elections and economic policies that protect citizens’ welfare while promoting productivity.
He said they also hoped for a sustained campaign against poverty, particularly among vulnerable Nigerians.
The retired colonel noted that many Nigerians had confidence in Tinubu’s longstanding advocacy for equity, transparency, inclusion and justice, which informed expectations that his administration would advance the objectives contained in Chapter Two of the Constitution.
He urged the president to ensure that the ideals that inspired the June 12 struggle once again become the cornerstone of national policy.
“So, in order that the sacrifices that those officers and other Nigerians made towards the achievement of the June 12th struggle do not go in vain, I advocate that those ideals become once again the cornerstone of your national policies,” Umar said.
He concluded the letter by thanking the president and expressing his best wishes for the success of the administration.
