Presidential candidate representing the National Rescue Movement, NRM, Esther Okereke, has asserted that June 12 should not merely be regarded as a date on the calendar.
Okereke emphasized that 33 years ago, Nigerians from all tribes and faiths united not for a political party, but for a shared vision.
The presidential hopeful spoke in a statement released to mark the June 12 Democracy Day.
She stated that Chief MKO Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, China Ubani, Gani Fawehinmi, Beko Ransom-Kuti, and countless unnamed Nigerian student leaders, journalists, and civil rights activists who faced the threat of violence did not sacrifice their lives for mere rhetoric, but for a Nigeria where children can learn without fear, mothers can heal without begging, and young men can find employment without relying on connections.
“If we forget them, we dishonor their memory. Therefore, today we remember. However, remembrance without action is merely lamentation. And Nigeria has grown weary of lamenting,” she expressed in a statement she personally signed on Friday.
“My fellow citizens, I will not deceive you. Democracy is in distress,” she continued.
“The court you seek for justice may sometimes fail to deliver it. The vote you cast in hope may sometimes vanish along the way. The market where a mother sells garri sees her profits consumed by inflation before the day ends.
“Having 100 million Nigerians living in poverty is not just a statistic. That is my neighbor. That is the orphan I assisted last week. That is you and me! If I stand here and pretend that everything is fine, I would be lying.
“But Nigeria can thrive again. Not through magic, but through hard work. Hope is not merely wishing. Hope is making a decision. And I have made my decision; you should too.
“I am not asking for your blood. I am asking for your commitment today, just one more sacrifice. To the youth: Do not flee Nigeria. Flee from fear. Your skills in coding, your music, your entrepreneurial spirit — that is the new oil.
“To the civil servants: Serve with pride once more.
To the diaspora: Return home. Not out of pity, but in partnership, with your collective determination.
“My fellow Nigerians, the heroes of June 12 did not perish so that we could engage in arguments on social media. They sacrificed so that we could collaborate effectively.”
‘Democracy is in distress’ – NRM presidential candidate, Esther Okereke