President Bola Tinubu, in a national broadcast marking Nigeria’s 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance, has highlighted the significance of democracy as the best form of governance.
He emphasized that democracy is not just about elections but a way of life that encompasses freedom, liberty, and the acceptance of diverse perspectives.
Tinubu noted that Nigeria has established a tradition of transparent, open, and fair elections, and has experienced peaceful transitions of government, affirming its democratic temperament, according to ThisDay.
He emphasized that democracy allows for conflicting ideas and differing opinions, but demands that differences be resolved through peaceful means, not force or repression.
The President also warned that there are those who may try to exploit current challenges to undermine democracy, but urged Nigerians to continue choosing democracy as the best option for the country’s progress.
He concluded by emphasizing that democracy makes leaders servants of the common good, not viceroys of narrow interests.
He said, “We must also be aware that there are those among us who will try to exploit current challenges to undermine, if not destroy, this democracy for which so much has already been given.”
He stressed that Nigeria faced a decision of untold gravity 25 years ago on whether to veer toward a better destination or continue aimlessly in the fog of dictatorship, adding, “we made the right choice then. We must continue with that choice now.”
Giving what could be described a lecture in democracy, he continued, “Democracy is neither a foreign nor abstract concept devoid of real-life meaning for us. Neither can we afford to reduce or minimise it to being nothing but the mere holding of periodic elections where one candidate and party outdo another.
“While elections attract dramatic attention, they are but one aspect of democracy. Democracy is a way of life that encompasses a broad outlook of which elections are but a part. As such, a nation can have elections without being democratic. But a nation cannot be truly democratic without holding elections.”
He noted that the fact that Nigeria had established a tradition of holding transparent, open, and fair elections gives credence to its democratic bearing. Tinubu also said that the fact that Nigeria had experienced peaceful transitions of government affirms its democratic temperament.
“Fellow Nigerians, true democracy shines its light into the daily lives of the people who live under its nurturing wings. It affords us the freedom and liberty to think as we want, live where we want and pursue whatever “legitimate endeavour that suits us.Democracy does not assume some false or forced unity of opinion. In fact, democracy assumes that conflicting ideas and differing opinions shall be the order of the day. Given the diversity and variety of the human experience, there must be diverse perspectives and viewpoints.
“What democracy demands is that we do not resolve differences through force and repression. But we make allowance for the legitimacy of views that differ from our own.
“Where other forms of government impose against the will of the people, democracy aims to make leaders sufficiently humble that they conduct themselves as servants of the common good, not as viceroys of the narrow interests of the mighty,” the President said.
