On Monday, June 12, President Bola Tinubu delivered a speech commemorating the 30th anniversary of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Tinubu emphasized the importance of Nigerians making additional sacrifices for the nation’s survival and urged them not to underestimate the value of democracy.
He highlighted the sacrifice made by Chief MKO Abiola, who lost his life in his pursuit of democracy.
Regarding the 2023 election, Tinubu expressed the view that individuals who are unable to tolerate and accept defeat in elections are unworthy of experiencing the joy of victory when their turn comes.
June 12 Speech from President Tinubu
“We have traversed the dark, thorny path of dictatorship before and those who experienced it can readily testify to the unbridgeable gap between the dignity of freedom and the humiliation and degradation of tyranny.
“True, rancorous debates, interminable wrangling, ceaseless quarrels, bitter electoral contestations may be perceived by some as unattractive features of democracy. But they also testify to its merit and value.
“This year, we held the seventh in the cycle of elections that have become sacred rituals of our democratic practice in this dispensation since 1999.
“That the polls were intensely contested is in itself positive evidence that democracy is well and alive in our land. It is only natural that even as those who won and experienced victory in the various elections are elated and fulfilled, those who lost are disenchanted and disappointed. But the beauty of democracy is that those who win today can lose tomorrow and those who lose today will have an opportunity to compete and win in the next round of elections.
“Those who cannot endure and accept the pain of defeat in elections do not deserve the joy of victory when it is their turn to triumph. Above all, those who disagree with the outcome of the elections are taking full advantage of the constitutional provisions to seek redress in court and that is one of the reasons why democracy is still the best form of government invented by man.”
