In honour of 25 years of Democracy Day, President Bola Tinubu praised the efforts of Nigerians in transitioning from military rule to a democratic government.

In his national address, he commended both the participants of the democratic movement and those who died during the cause.

President Tinubu emphasized Nigeria's consistent practice of conducting transparent elections and ensuring peaceful governmental transitions.

“That we have established a tradition of holding transparent, open, and fair elections gives credence to our democratic bearing. That we have experienced peaceful transitions of government affirms our democratic temperament,” he remarked.

During the anniversary event held at the Eagles Square in Abuja, President Tinubu highlighted the significance of elections in a democracy, stating that while they are important, they are not the sole component of a democratic society.

“While elections attract dramatic attention, they are but one aspect of democracy. Democracy is a way of life that encompasses a broad outlook of which elections are but a part. As such, a nation can have elections without being democratic. But a nation cannot be truly democratic without holding elections,” he asserted.

However, the European Union Election Observation Mission's report on Nigeria's 2023 general elections revealed that the elections were marred by violence, resulting in the loss of at least 74 lives across 101 incidents.

“Law enforcement agencies failed to prosecute persons who attacked, intimidated, harassed, or obstructed journalists prior to, on and after both election days.

“The EU EOM observers confirmed multiple incidents involving the media. Several attacks occurred in plain sight of the police and in some cases the police detained the journalist who documented irregularities, but not the attacker. It clearly evidences the absence of actual practices for protection of media practitioners.”