June 12: After 32 Years, Activists, Coalition Send Message to Tinubu, “Remember Their Sacrifice”

• Defend Nigeria Movement (DNM) and Nigeria’s Unite for Democracy (NUD) urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to extend due recognition to the citizens who played crucial roles in the June 12, 1993, democratic movement
• The groups emphasised that June 12 represents more than just an election; it is a national ideology reflecting unity, resistance, and democratic advancement
• The convener of the coalition, Comrade Razaq Olokoba, commended Tinubu over the economic reforms but urged the president to address security challenges

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Lagos, Nigeria - As Nigerians commemorate 32 years of annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, Defend Nigeria Movement (DNM) and Nigeria’s Unite for Democracy (NUD), have tasked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with giving due recognition to many unsung heroes who fought during the struggle for the actualisation of the June 12 election.

June 12: Activists demand recognition for unsung martyrs

The civil society organisations maintained that while some prominent activists were given the desired honour, too many ordinary people were forgotten.

Speaking at a world press conference on Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Lagos, the Convener of the coalition, Comrade Razaq Olokoba, said the parley was in commemoration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day and the 26th anniversary of the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election.

Olokoba said:

"I welcome you all with profound gratitude, particularly to our falling fighters in the anti military struggles, who were murdered or martyred across the streets of our beloved country with the hope that the survivors will keep the dream alive in order that our struggle and efforts shall not be in vain and the surviving June 12 activists with tremendous nostalgia, because in retrospect we have been on a journey of no return most especially when we are yet to reach our destination, in other words, our dream remains a dream.

"That historic election, which has been variously adjudged as the freest and fairest election in Nigeria’s history, was sadly and treasonable annulled by the General Ibrahim Babangida military junta for his interest of self-perpetuation in power.

"However, Nigerians in unison with a common destiny, rose in stout defiance of the guns and bullets to insist on the de-annulment of the election at great cost of loss of human lives, limbs, property and freedom which culminated in the forced retreat of the military from Nigeria’s political life and birth the current democratic dispensation on May 29, 1999."

Buttressing their point, the coalition noted that June 12 has become a symbol of national unity and consciousness, showcasing Nigerians’ ability to unite around an ideology despite our differences.

The coalition commended Tinubu’s economic policies, including subsidy removal and forex unification, but demanded inclusive governance and stronger grassroots recognition.

They also proposed the construction of a national memorial for unsung heroes.

"The declaration of June 12 as a national public holiday by President Muhammadu Buhari has given the epoch its pride of place in Nigeria’s socio-political calendar. This move has helped to promote the value and symbolism of June 12. However, we need to deepen the gains of the lessons of June 12.

"We must use this medium to congratulate Nigerians for keeping faith with democracy despite the challenges that confront us as a people with 26 years of an unprecedented and unbroken democratic system and like the saying goes, a people united, can never be defeated.

"While acknowledging the initial pains and inconvenience, we congratulate and commend President Bola Tinubu for his bold and daring economic reforms, which have extinguished the hemorrhaging of our economy through the termination of the fuel subsidy regime and the unification of the foreign exchange system. By these two critical policies, the President Tinubu administration has saved the country the loss of about $10bn annually in the last two years and the result is that the three tiers of government now receive almost triple their allocations from the federation account to enable them provide the dividends of democracy to the citizenry,” the Convener stated.

The coalition also stressed that recognition must be beyond symbolism to tangible tributes such as monuments and historical documentation.

As the nation celebrates 26 years of unbroken democracy, the coalition of civil society organisations on Thursday, insisted that the struggle is far from over, especially for those still waiting for justice and acknowledgement.

Continuing, Olokoba pointed out:

"We can all see the gains of the economic re-engineering of the President Bola Tinubu administration begin to manifest in infrastructural renewal as well as other policies which are making positive impacts in every other sectors of the Nigerian economy, eg. Lagos Calabar Coastal highway, Lagos Sokoto highway, naira for crude, NELFUND, tax reforms bills, etc.

"However, as much as we are holding the federal government accountable for its account of stewardship in the last two years of the President Bola Tinubu administration, it is very important for us to demand same from our states and local government councils administration who are beneficiaries of this unprecedented largesse from the federation account now."

While reiterating on the foundation laid by the President in Lagos state, the groups stated, “Importantly, special mention must be made of Mr. Babajide Sanwo Olu the executive governor of Lagos State who has continued on the templates for political, economic and infrastructural development of the state as laid down in the state by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the then governor of the state.

“This notwithstanding, there is the compelling need to deepen the gains of the lessons of June 12.

“Therefore, we demand that the President give due recognition to the Coalition of June 12 Activists and Martyrs.

“There should also be a monument to the unsung heroes of June 12. They are our own unknown soldiers.

“The government at all levels needs to urgently address security issues by leveraging technology and community participation. State police and community policing have become a matter of urgency, beyond rhetorics and sentimental considerations. Security in the real sense should be the duty of the people, not as empty declarations but with indigenous and innovative inputs.”

Read more about June 12 here:

• June 12: Full text of Tinubu's Democracy Day speech at National Assembly
• Tinubu addresses National Assembly to mark June 12
• June 12: Tinubu cancels national broadcast, to address National Assembly, “No Democracy Day parade”
• June 12: Nigerians declare protest against hardship

June 12: Babangida admits MKO Abiola won 1993 election

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that former military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) conceded that late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the disputed June 12, 1993 presidential election.

The June 12 election has been a hot topic with diverse accounts of the events narrated by different parties.

However, in his autobiography: 'A Journey in Service,' which was launched on Thursday, February 20, 2025, it was disclosed that Babangida said he was convinced that Abiola won.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng