A former military governor of Kaduna State and pro-democracy advocate, Col Dangiwa Umar (retd.), has urged President Bola Tinubu to make security, equity and social justice the cornerstone of his administration, warning that the ideals that inspired the June 12 struggle would remain unfulfilled without them.
Umar made the call in an open letter to the President, following Tinubu’s Democracy Day address on Wednesday, in which he recognised military officers and civilians who played key roles in resisting the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
While commending the President for honouring pro-democracy activists and military officers who risked their lives in the struggle for democratic rule, Umar said the recognition should be matched with policies that address insecurity, poverty and institutional weaknesses.
“I wish to offer my profound appreciation for your public recognition of the services rendered by some officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces whose names were read out during your Democracy Day Address on the 12th of June, 2026,” Umar stated.
He described the public recognition of the June 12 heroes as “fit and proper,” noting that many Nigerians made enormous sacrifices to challenge the annulment of the election widely regarded as the freest in the nation’s history.
