President Bola Tinubu on Thursday defended his administration’s economic and security reforms, reaffirmed commitment to democratic governance and announced national honours for dozens of pro-democracy activists and June 12 figures in his 2026 Democracy Day address.
Speaking to commemorate 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, Tinubu said Nigeria had recorded its longest stretch of civilian governance and urged citizens to continue strengthening democratic institutions.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and political parties to ensure peaceful and credible elections in Ekiti and Osun states, warning that democracy suffers when citizens lose confidence in the electoral process.
The President paid tribute to heroes of the June 12 struggle, including the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Alfred Rewane, Pa Abraham Adesanya and several others who fought for democratic rule.
Tinubu acknowledged concerns over the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states but insisted that his administration was making progress in tackling insecurity.
He disclosed that the government had declared a security emergency, approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 police officers and thousands of military personnel, while allocating N5.41 trillion to defence and security in the 2026 budget.
According to him, terror-related deaths have declined significantly, while more than 13,000 terrorists were neutralised in the past year.
He added that over 124,000 insurgents and their dependants had surrendered through Operation Safe Corridor since 2023.
Addressing the economy, Tinubu said difficult reforms introduced since 2023 were necessary to stabilise public finances, restore investor confidence and lay the foundation for sustainable growth.
He noted that federation revenues had increased, fiscal transparency had improved and investments were growing across agriculture, energy, manufacturing, mining, transportation, technology and the creative industries.
The President also highlighted increased domestic refining capacity, describing it as a key step toward strengthening Nigeria’s energy security and reducing reliance on imported petroleum products.
On electricity, Tinubu said his administration had introduced reforms through the Electricity Act, which empowers states to generate, transmit and distribute power.
He revealed that the Presidential Power Sector Task Force had been authorised to raise N4 trillion to settle verified legacy debts in the electricity value chain and reduce the country’s metering deficit.
The President said ongoing investments in infrastructure and agriculture were designed to create jobs, boost exports and improve living standards, adding that the government remained focused on reducing inflation and expanding economic opportunities.
Tinubu also reiterated his administration’s commitment to local government autonomy, describing effective grassroots governance as critical to national development and security.
As part of Democracy Day activities, the President announced that the completed Institute of Petroleum Studies in Kaduna would be renamed the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology in honour of the late military officer and pro-democracy figure.
He further announced national honours for dozens of journalists, activists, politicians, lawyers, academics and military officers who played significant roles in Nigeria’s democratic struggle.
The honours list includes Ayoka Lawani, Tunde Fagbenle, Oladele Alake, Olatunji Bello, Louis Odion, Segun Babatope, Bola Bolawole, Femi Kusa, Debo Adeniran, Ayo Opadokun, Joe Okei-Odumakin, Richard Akinnola, Niran Malaolu, Ishola Williams, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, Ike Okonta and several others.
Tinubu also recognised military officers who supported the June 12 struggle, including the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and other soldier-democrats.
He urged Nigerians to remain united and committed to building a prosperous nation, saying the current generation must secure economic prosperity just as previous generations secured independence and democracy.
“June 12 reminds us that Nigerians do not break. We bend, we bleed, but we do not break,” the President said.
