The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has said Nigeria must not waste the sacrifices made by the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, winner of the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election.

He disclosed this in his statement at Nigeria’s Democracy Day commemoration on Friday.

According to him, the election represented a glorious opportunity for Nigeria to lead Africa and the wider world in democratic renewal at a time when apartheid still existed in South Africa and many African nations were still under military rule.

Adebayo said the annulment of the election by the military government was a betrayal of the Constitution and the sovereignty of Nigerians, stressing that no power can truly annul the will of the people.

He noted that June 12 is a reflection that democratic power belongs to the people.

“June 12 reminds us that the people are the true owners of power. What happened in 1993 was not just the annulment of an election; it was a betrayal of the Constitution and the sovereignty of Nigerians.

“As we approach another general election, every Nigerian has a role to play in enthroning true democracy. June 12 must not be in vain. The labor of our heroes past must not be allowed to go to waste,” Adebayo said.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his Democracy Day message, said Nigerians should not lose faith in the country despite its numerous challenges.

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Friday said Nigeria’s democracy is thinner under President Bola Tinubu than during the military regime.

Ologbondiyan said Nigeria has become a theatre of absurdity during the 11 years of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in power.

Posting on X, the former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, noted that Nigerians are determined to vote out Tinubu’s gruesome APC.

He wrote: “In the eleven years of APC, our country, Nigeria, has become the theatre of the absurd.

“Nothing demonstrates this like the celebration of 2026 Democracy Day.

“@officialABAT is the chief preacher of the values of democracy of this year’s celebration.

“Unfortunately, under his watch, the democratic space has become thinner than the situation we witnessed under the military rule.

“In his own party, the APC, emergence of party candidates are inconclusive, weeks after the exercise was held.

“Some of the other opposing parties are not sure of their status with elections few months ahead.

“Nothing seems certain in the political landscape except that @officialABAT will contest the 2027 presidential elections while the presidential candidates of other parties will be held down with sponsored in-fighting.

“It is a contradiction to be preaching democracy and also closing the democratic space all together.

“Happy Democracy Day to majority of Nigerians, who though may be silent now, but are determined to vote out the gruesome APC at the nick of time, come 2027.”