President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday said his administration will not allow use of illegal orders to truncate Nigeria’s democracy, even as he acknowledged the right of anyone who loses election to seek redress through the judicial system.
The President who spoke in a nationwide broadcast to mark the June 12 Democracy Day assured that his administration would uphold rule of law and protect democracy.
He added that it only rule of law and vibrant judiciary that can be deliver justice and strengthen institutions.
The President added that his administration has already started the process of making Nigeria’s democracy more vibrant with the recent signing into law of a bill that harmonized the retirement age of Judges.
“We shall be faithful to the truth. Faithful to equity. And faithful to justice. We shall exercise our authority and mandate to govern with fairness, respect for the rule of law, and commitment to always uphold the dignity of all our people,” Tinubu promised even as he warned that attempt to truncate Nigeria’s democracy through illegal orders will not be tolerated.
“It has become imperative to state here that the unnecessary illegal orders used to truncate or abridge democracy will no longer be tolerated.
“The recent harmonisation of the retirement age for judicial officers is meant to strengthen the rule of law, which is a critical pillar of democracy. The reform has just started,” he said.
On the 2023 elections, President Tinubu said: “This year, we held the seventh in the cycle of elections that have become sacred rituals of our democratic practice in this dispensation since 1999.
“That the polls were intensely contested is in itself positive evidence that democracy is well and alive in our land. It is only natural that even as those who won and experienced victory in the various elections are elated and fulfilled, those who lost are disenchanted and disappointed.
“But the beauty of democracy is that those who win today can lose tomorrow and those who lose today will have an opportunity to compete and win in the next round of elections.
“Those who cannot endure and accept the pain of defeat in elections do not deserve the joy of victory when it is their turn to triumph. Above all, those who disagree with the outcome of the elections are taking full advantage of the constitutional provisions to seek redress in court and that is one of the reasons why democracy is still the best form of government invented by man.
“On this note, I wish us all a happy Democracy Day celebration and pray that the light of liberty shall never be extinguished in our land.”