Senate Leader Dr. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, CON, underscored the lasting importance of the June 12 democratic struggle, urging Nigerians to preserve the spirit of resilience, justice, and national unity embodied by the historic date.
Bamidele, Guest Speaker at the 2025 June 12 Democracy Day commemoration, which was organized by the Ondo State Government, presented his address through Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, OON, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State.
The event, which took place at the International Culture and Event Centre in Akure, attracted a high-profile audience, including the Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the Deputy Governor, Mr. Olayide Owolabi Adelami, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, traditional rulers, members of the state executive and legislature, and leaders of civil society.
In his keynote speech titled “June 12: Losses and Gains in Relationship to Today’s Democratic Realities in Nigeria”, Bamidele characterized the June 12, 1993, presidential election as a watershed moment in Nigeria’s democratic development, marked by significant losses and enduring gains.
“The annulment of the 1993 election shattered public confidence in the electoral process, suppressed the people’s will, delayed democratic development, and created an enduring trust deficit in governance.” The address read.
He lamented that the injustice of June 12 has yet to be fully resolved, despite the eventual recognition of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola’s mandate and legacy.
The Senate Leader emphasized the struggle’s accomplishments, including the return to democratic rule in 1999 and the official recognition of June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day. He commended the posthumous award of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic to Abiola, calling it a symbolic gesture towards national healing, albeit a belated one.
“June 12 is no longer just a date on the calendar. It is a mirror through which we must continually examine ourselves. It represents sacrifice, courage, and the collective will of the Nigerian people.” Bamidele said.
He also emphasized that the democratic dividends of the post-1999 era, including 25 years of uninterrupted civilian rule, must not be taken for granted.
Senator Bamidele recently reflected on the accomplishments of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, attributing them to the June 12 struggle. He noted several key reforms implemented under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, including economic and fiscal policies, foreign exchange unification, improved revenue generation, infrastructural development, healthcare reforms, power sector investments, and enhanced national security.
“President Tinubu, himself a frontline figure in the June 12 pro-democracy movement, has laid the foundation for structural transformation through bold and often difficult reforms. These include removing fuel subsidies, improving fiscal discipline, expanding health insurance, investing in infrastructure, and promoting technological innovation,” Bamidele noted.
Senator Bamidele also commended Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for his remarkable developmental strides in Ondo State, encapsulated in the administration’s strategic blueprint titled “OUR EASE”, which stands for Opportunities, Unity, Reform, Education, Agriculture, Security, and Empowerment. He lauded the governor’s commitment to inclusive governance, economic revitalization, and infrastructural renewal, noting that the OUR EASE agenda aligns seamlessly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda at the federal level. According to the Senate Leader, this synergy between the state and federal governments demonstrates a unified vision for national development, democratic consolidation, and the delivery of tangible benefits to the people.
He pointed to a growing economy, stabilized foreign reserves (rising from $4 billion in 2023 to $23 billion in 2025), increased investor confidence, and a reduction in Nigeria’s debt servicing ratio, as indicators of democratic progress.
Senator Bamidele urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, engaged, and united in preserving democratic values.
“We owe it to MKO Abiola. We owe it to the countless martyrs of democracy. Above all, we owe it to ourselves and generations unborn to build a Nigeria where democracy is not just a system of government but a way of life, inclusive, accountable, and just.” He declared.
