June 16, 2026
ENUGU — Former National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) activist and pro-democracy advocate, Chief Ralph Obioha, has declined the national honour conferred on him by President Bola Tinubu during the 2026 Democracy Day celebrations, citing concerns over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu and the worsening security situation in the country.
In a statement issued on Monday, Obioha expressed appreciation to President Tinubu and the Federal Government for the recognition but said accepting the award would be inconsistent with the democratic principles that guided the struggle against military rule.
The former lawmaker, who served in the National Assembly between 1979 and 1983, said he joined other pro-democracy activists during the June 12 struggle because they believed in a Nigeria founded on justice, freedom, the rule of law, and respect for fundamental human rights.
According to him, freedom of expression was one of the core ideals of the democracy movement, stressing that criticism of government and dissenting views should not be seen as threats to democratic governance.
