13/06/2026
JUNE 12: ARE WE CELEBRATING DEMOCRACY OR MOURNING ITS DECLINE?
Like many Nigerians today, I woke up to dozens of "Happy Democracy Day" messages. As I read them, one question kept coming to my mind: what exactly are we celebrating?
Are Nigerians living on a different planet from the reality around them, or have we become so accustomed to our circumstances that we now celebrate symbols while ignoring substance?
June 12 was supposed to represent the triumph of the people's will. It was supposed to symbolise a Nigeria where the vote of the ordinary citizen mattered, where institutions were stronger than individuals, and where government derived its legitimacy from the consent of the governed.
Looking at Nigeria today, can we honestly say that this dream has been realised?
We are told that Nigeria has been a democracy since 1999. Yet many Nigerians feel more powerless today than they did years ago. Elections are increasingly disputed. Public institutions command little confidence. The separation of powers exists in the Constitution but often appears weak in practice. The legislature and judiciary have increasingly become extensions of the executive authority rather than independent guardians of our democracy.
We are told that democracy means government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
But when citizens struggle to make their voices count between elections, when poverty deepens despite abundant resources, when virtually no citizens is safe except the politicians and when political power appears concentrated in the hands of a few, many are left wondering whether what we have is democracy in substance or merely democracy in name.
Some argue that we should be grateful that military rule is gone.
That may be true. But the absence of military rule alone cannot be the standard by which we judge democratic success.
Democracy was never meant to be merely the right to vote every four years. It was meant to guarantee accountable leadership, strong institutions, respect for the rule of law, credible elections, and government that genuinely serves the people.
As we mark another June 12, I cannot help but wonder what Chief M.K.O. Abiola would think if he could see the state of the nation today. Would he believe that the sacrifices made in the struggle for democracy have been honoured? Would he be satisfied with the quality of governance, the strength of our institutions, and the confidence citizens have in the electoral process?
I doubt it.
Perhaps the most honest way to mark Democracy Day is not by exchanging greetings but by engaging in reflection.
Have we progressed, or have we merely become comfortable with decline?
Have we built a democracy worthy of the sacrifices of June 12, or have we drifted far from its ideals?
These are questions every Nigerian should ask today.
Dr. Peter Okey writes from the United Kingdom. He is a member of NDC Diaspora and Deputy Chairman, Board of Trustees, COPDEM.
WHO WE ARE Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM) is a Political Action Group consisting of several individuals (home and abroad), support groups and organizations dedicated to defending democratic values, promoting good governance, and ensuring electoral integrity in Nigeria. It advocat...
