Democracy Day: 27 years of political freedom without economic security

By Abubakar Yunusa

As Nigeria marks Democracy Day on Friday, June 12, many citizens say the country’s 27 uninterrupted years of civilian rule have delivered political freedom without the economic security and social progress they had hoped for.

While the Federal Government insists that the country is on the path to recovery and renewal, a growing number of Nigerians argue that the dividends of democracy remain elusive amid rising hardship, worsening insecurity and declining living standards.

June 12 commemorates the 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll, believed to have been won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola but annuled by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.

For many Nigerians, the annual celebration has evolved beyond a symbolic remembrance into a moment of national reflection and accountability.

At a national press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, defended the performance of the President Bola Tinubu administration as it enters its third year.

He described Nigeria as “a huge, viable project” and urged citizens to recognise that nation-building remained a work in progress.

Akume cited figures from the National Bureau of Statistics showing that Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.07 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 3.89 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.

He also pointed to the enactment of four tax reform laws and the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, which he said had reached more than three million vulnerable households.

The SGF, however, admitted that significant challenges persisted.

“Government will never claim that every challenge has been solved. Inflation has been painful, though it is on a downward trend. Insecurity still threatens lives and livelihoods, but evidence shows that the country is moving in the right direction,” he said.

But civil society groups and several Nigerians interviewed  by People’s Daily expressed reservations over the administration’s scorecard, insisting that the realities confronting ordinary citizens painted a different picture.

The Executive Director of the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education, Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, said democracy represented a covenant between leaders and citizens, a promise many Nigerians believed remained unfulfilled.

According to him, citizens expected bold reforms, immediate relief and a departure from old governance patterns but had instead encountered rising costs, shrinking purchasing power and growing frustration.

He said economic hardship had turned survival into an endurance test, while insecurity continued to undermine public confidence.

Zikirullahi noted that incidents of kidnapping and attacks on communities had reinforced perceptions that the state had failed in its primary responsibility of protecting lives and property.

He added that promises of employment generation, industrial revival and transparent governance had yet to materialise.

Education advocate and founder of the Onono Onimisi Foundation, Rafat Onono Onimisi, said citizens’ expectations had only been partially met.

“While democracy has given us the opportunity to choose our leaders, many Nigerians are still struggling with economic hardship and insecurity,” she said.

She argued that progress would only be evident when Nigerians could afford basic necessities, enjoy safety and access quality public services.

Current affairs analyst and pro-democracy advocate, Muhammad Jemilu, painted an even bleaker picture.

He said many Nigerians born during the democratic era had achieved little without enduring excessive hardship.

According to him, access to education, employment and essential services remained difficult, while corruption and weak institutions continued to frustrate aspirations.

“Our current political arrangement speaks of real absence of governance,” he said.

Development and electoral specialist, Austin Aigbe, maintained that government had fallen short of its constitutional obligation to guarantee citizens’ welfare and security.

He lamented worsening poverty, insecurity and what he described as a disconnect between government messaging and the lived experiences of Nigerians.

“A government that continues to borrow heavily and maintains large official entourages cannot easily convince citizens that it is operating economically,” he said.

Activist Enemali Ameh offered one of the harshest assessments.

He described Nigeria as “critically sick and currently in the intensive care unit”, arguing that citizens had been left to grapple with hunger, insecurity and anti-people policies.

According to him, the true spirit of June 12 lies in accountability, justice, equity and the defence of civil liberties.

On the streets of Abuja and neighbouring Nasarawa State, reactions reflected a blend of pride and disappointment.

A civil servant in Abuja said although Nigerians had successfully sustained democratic rule, the economic burden on households had become unbearable.

“We don’t want military rule, but democracy also needs to put food on the table,” the source said.

A businessman at Garki Market, Chikwado Ugwu, said the soaring cost of living had overshadowed the gains of democratic governance.

“I am not against democracy. I just want it to work for me, not just for politicians,” he said.

A student of the University of Keffi, Abdullahi Usman, urged leaders not to betray the sacrifices of those who fought for democratic rule.

“Our generation won’t accept democracy as an excuse for bad governance,” he said.

Nigeria’s uninterrupted democratic journey remains a notable achievement in a continent recently unsettled by military coups in countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon and Guinea.

Yet, as the nation marks another June 12 anniversary, a familiar question echoes from markets, campuses and communities across the country: Has democracy truly improved the lives of ordinary Nigerians?

For millions battling insecurity, unemployment, hunger and uncertainty, the answer remains difficult.

And until democratic governance translates into safer communities, better schools, reliable electricity and improved living standards, many Nigerians may continue to celebrate Democracy Day with hope tempered by frustration.