The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated that Nigeria’s democratic system remains fragile and incomplete, even 33 years after the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election.
In a statement issued on Friday to mark Democracy Day, the party said the country is still struggling with deep-rooted governance and electoral challenges that continue to weaken democratic progress.
Reflecting on the annulled 1993 election, widely considered Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll, the party noted that the aftermath triggered widespread national unrest and eroded public trust in democratic institutions.
The statement, signed by Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, reiterated the party’s belief that democracy requires constant protection, reinforcement, and deepening beyond election periods.
The PDP recalled that Nigerians once demonstrated rare unity during the 1993 elections, voting across ethnic and regional lines in pursuit of national cohesion. However, it said the annulment of the election led to a prolonged democratic setback and instability.
According to the party, “the lessons of June 12 remain more relevant today than ever,” stressing that government has a duty to safeguard civil liberties, including peaceful protest and opposition rights, while ensuring electoral bodies operate with fairness and transparency.
The party further argued that successive governments have failed to fully absorb those democratic lessons, insisting that present-day governance still shows signs of weakened accountability and shrinking civic space.
It accused the current administration of worsening the situation, alleging that democratic values are being undermined rather than strengthened.
Citing recent events in Abuja during Democracy Day commemorations, the PDP claimed that peaceful demonstrators were dispersed with tear gas, while activist Omoyele Sowore was reportedly injured and hospitalised during a protest calling for the release of kidnapped victims.
The party criticised what it described as a preference for image management over substantive governance, arguing that such approaches diminish the significance of Democracy Day and reduce it to ceremonial observance rather than meaningful reflection.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the PDP urged Nigerians to remain alert and politically conscious, warning that democratic gains must not be taken for granted.
It concluded that the sacrifices of pro-democracy activists should serve not only as remembrance but as a continuous warning against any return to authoritarian or anti-democratic practices.