Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent June 12 Democracy Day speech

The rights activist described the President’s speech as a mere historical narrative devoid of addressing present challenges.

Adegboruwa, while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, expressed his disappointment, noting that the speech did not address the critical issues plaguing Nigeria’s democracy.

He argued that despite the commemoration of June 12 and its significance as the day of the annulled 1993 presidential election won by MKO Abiola, the government’s commitment to democratic values has not translated into tangible progress.

The Senior Advocate emphasized that greater expectations are placed on someone like Tinubu, who played a pivotal role in the democratic struggle and now holds a position of leadership.

Adegboruwa said, “I listened to the speech of the president, unfortunately, I am unable to agree that anything has changed.

“I am sorry, I am not impressed in anyway at all by the speech of the President, in the sense that it is just rehearsing history.

“For me, looking at the past one year and indeed, our collective history from the time we started agitating for democracy, things have gotten worse, nothing has changed at all.”

The Human rights lawyer highlighted the significance of the June 12 struggle, emphasizing the need for recognition of the annulled 1993 election and true federalism in Nigeria.

He expressed disappointment that the dream of better elections and democratic principles remains deferred, citing unanswered questions in recent polls.

Adegboruwa called for the release of wrongfully detained Nigerians and engagement with constituent units to ensure true federation.

He criticized the president’s speech for lacking a roadmap to achieve true democracy, reflecting a broader sentiment among citizens and activists for substantial changes beyond ceremonial gestures.