DEMOCRACY DAY MESSAGE BY AARE OLUMUYIWA AKINBORO, SAN, FCIArb (UK), FCIMC, LIFE BENCHER
Past General Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association
Today, June 12, 2025, marks 26 years of unbroken and uninterrupted civilian rule in Nigeria since 1999. This milestone is significant in the life of our nation and deserves deep reflection.
June 12 was rightly designated as Democracy Day, in honour of the historic presidential election held on June 12, 1993—widely regarded as the freest and fairest election in Nigeria’s history. On that day, Nigerians rose above ethnicity, religion, gender, and all other fault lines to speak with one voice and elect Alhaji M.K.O. Abiola as President. That moment stands as a testament to the collective will of a united people seeking democratic progress.
Regrettably, no election since that pivotal event has matched its credibility or general acceptance. Elections in Nigeria have, more often than not, been marred by manipulations, irregularities, and widespread litigations. Former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (of blessed memory) publicly acknowledged the flawed process that brought him into office and initiated commendable efforts toward electoral reforms.
Since then, various amendments to the Electoral Act have been made to promote transparency and fairness, yet concerns over credibility and compliance persist, with over 90 percent of elections still ending in tribunals.
This Democracy Day must serve as a moment for national introspection. Democracy goes beyond the mere existence of civilian governance. At its core, it must reflect the supremacy of the people’s will, freely and transparently expressed through a credible electoral process.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has consistently championed electoral reforms in Nigeria. However, it is disheartening that the same complaints we raise about national elections have found expression within our own professional body. Following the return of the NBA to national structure in 1998, post the Port Harcourt crisis of 1992, our elections—despite minor flaws—were largely accepted as fair and credible.
That changed with the introduction of electronic voting in 2016, which has since seen nearly every election end in litigation. Common complaints revolve around manipulations from the backend and lack of transparency in the process. Despite commitments from successive NBA leaderships to reform the system, the recurring nature of these issues suggests that the desired objectives are yet to be fully achieved.
As the conscience of society, the NBA must lead by example. We cannot credibly demand accountability from national institutions while tolerating opacity and dysfunction in our own processes. The principle is simple: we must clean our house first.
Therefore, on this occasion of Democracy Day, I call on the NBA to urgently review and reform its electoral process. We must restore member confidence by ensuring transparency, credibility, and integrity in our elections. It is time to remove all forms of opacity and align our practices with the values we advocate.
I encourage the current leadership of the Bar, ably led by Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, to take up this mantle. Let the Proactive Bar be remembered for entrenching democratic values not only in Nigeria but also within the NBA itself. Let the legacy of this administration include the restoration of trust in our electoral system.
On this historic day, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.
It is my earnest prayer that the spirit of democracy continues to take root and flourish both in our nation and in our noble profession.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Long live the Nigerian Bar Association.
Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN
FCIArb (UK), FCIMC, Life Bencher
Past General Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association