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Akpabio to Tinubu: Due to your courage, Nigeria enjoys democracy today
Godswill Akpabio, Senate President, left no word out on Thursday in extolling President Bola Tinubu as an architect of the democracy Nigeria enjoys today, saying had he taken the easy way out, the country would still be under the vice grip of the military.
Akpabio, in his speech, to mark the 32nd anniversary of June 12, which has since replaced May 29 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day, poured encomiums on the President, whose battle to restore the sanctity of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, now confirmed to have been won by Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO), Abiola had to go on exile with other members of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) from where they continued to launch lacerating attacks on the military junta in the country.
Their efforts eventually paid off after the sudden death of Sani Abacha, the Nigerian military General, who took over government in 1993 and posted a record as the most despotic regime in the history of the country, with Abdulsalami Abubakar, his successor, setting off a period of transition that eventually led to return of democratic rule in the country.
Since that epochal event when the last military General handed over power to Olusegun Obasanjo, on May 29, 1999, Nigeria has maintained an unbroken period of democracy spanning a record 26 years, the longest in the country with five different civilian Presidents in-between.
Recalling this historical sequence, a visibly enthralled Akpabio, who spoke at the at the joint sitting of the House of Representatives and the Senate to hear the address of Tinubu as part of the activities to mark the 2025 Democracy Day celebration, was also full of praises to the President on his handling of his job since assuming power in 2023.
Amid the full assemblage of the federal lawmakers and top government functionaries, Akpabio, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, told his guest: “The National Assembly is proud to host you, our President, our compatriot, and one of our own, as you fulfil the solemn constitutional duty of addressing the nation.
“This chamber honours you not merely as the President, but as one of the architects of the very democratic foundation we commemorate today. Under President Tinubu’s leadership, we have seen transformation in his bold approach to difficult reforms.
“From unifying the foreign exchange market, to local government autonomy, to the formation of the regional development commissions, to Nigerian Education Loan Fund, to removing fuel subsidies, to attracting foreign investments, to tax reforms, this administration has not shied away from the hard decisions required to stabilize and grow our economy.
“These efforts are gradually restoring investor confidence, laying the foundations for long-term prosperity, and refocusing government expenditure toward productive investments. Mr President, we commend you for your boldness, your vision, and your unwavering belief in Nigeria’s future. Likewise, the 10th National Assembly.”
Emphasising Tinubu’s pro-democracy, he added: “Many, including Your Excellency, stood tall in those days of darkness. While others chose silence or compromise, you chose courage. At great personal cost, NADECO which you were part of, helped sustain the flame of liberty when it was most at risk of going out. So as we mark this day, let us remember those who bled so we could vote.
“Those who took risks so we could speak. Those who were buried so that freedom might rise. Let us also pay tribute to all those who played pivotal roles in Nigeria’s democratic transition. This year’s theme – 26 Years of Democracy: Renewing Our Commitment to National Development – is not a slogan. It is a call to purpose.
He also praised the National Assembly for its own great record in sustaining democracy and assisting the President in running a seamless government, saying: “From its inception, the 10th Senate demonstrated a renewed vigor for addressing the country’s complex challenges through purposeful legislation. This commitment is reflected in its extraordinary output: a total of 844 bills have been introduced within its first two years—an unprecedented figure that underscores the Senate’s proactive posture in tackling pressing national issues.
“Out of this impressive volume, 107 bills are currently at the committee stage, undergoing the necessary scrutiny and stakeholder engagement that ensures quality legislation, 206 bills are awaiting first reading, reflecting a robust pipeline of legislative ideas prepared for formal introduction, and 409 bills have advanced to second reading.
“Notably, the Senate has passed 96 bills, a record for any Nigerian Senate at this stage of the legislative cycle. Even more significantly, 52 of these bills have been assented to by the President, translating into enforceable laws that will shape governance, economic development, public welfare, and national security.
“These bills include the National Education Fund, local government autonomy bill, regional development commissions, tax reforms, universities and tertiary institutions, agricultural institutions etc. Moreover, the Tenth Senate has acted decisively on 26 Executive Bills, showcasing a healthy balance of cooperation and oversight in its engagement with the executive arm.
“These executive-sponsored legislations address key policy areas and benefit from the Senate’s thorough review and refinement before passage. Beyond bills, the 10th Senate has received a total of 80 petitions from citizens and civil society. This is a testimony to public trust in the institution. Of these, 18 petitions have been fully adopted, providing redress, transparency, and institutional accountability”.
One of the highlights of the day was the conferment, by President Tinubu, of national honours on dozens of distinguished Nigerians, including posthumous awards for late pro-democracy activists, politicians, journalists, and civil rights leaders.
Tinubu, who described the recipients as “heroes and heroines of democracy,” noting that the awards served as a tribute to the sacrifices made in the struggle to entrench and sustain democracy in Nigeria, also decorated the presiding officers of the National Assembly with the award of national honours earlier conferred on them.
It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.
But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.
The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.
While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
Slavery is a wound on the memory of the Universal Church, Pope Leo XIV, said on Monday, as he issued a fresh apology over the participation of the the Catholic Church in the centuries-long delay in condemning slavery.
The pontiff stressed the position of the church after his predecessors had offered similar apologies, said: “For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
Writing in a major text that warned about “new forms of slavery” behind the digital economy, the joined John Paul II, who denounced slave trade in 1992 before issuing a sweeping request for forgiveness for historical injustices in 2000 and Pope Francis who also repeatedly denounced contemporary forms of slavery.
In his own vein, Pope Leo, pointed out that the Church owned slaves until the Middle Ages and it also advised European sovereigns on how to justify the enslavement of “infidels.”
He stressed in “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), a document focused primarily on the rise of artificial intelligence, that it was only in the 19th century that “a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated.”
Hear him: “It is true that past events cannot be judged anachronistically, as though the moral criteria that matured over time had always been available. Yet neither can we deny or diminish the delay with which both society and the Church came to denounce the scourge of slavery. This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached.”
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