By Steve Oko

As Nigeria prepares to mark Democracy Day on June 12, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged to honour the presiding officers of the 3rd Republic National Assembly for their principled stance against the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

The call was made by Senator Emma Nwaka, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former senator representing Abia North in the 3rd Republic. He noted that the presiding officers and lawmakers of that era stood courageously against military efforts to use the legislature to legitimize the annulment of the election widely believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola.

Nwaka, who formerly served as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State before joining the APC, made the appeal in a statement ahead of President Tinubu’s planned joint address to the National Assembly as part of this year’s Democracy Day celebration.

He commended President Tinubu “for choosing to address Nigerians from the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly,” describing it as a gesture that demonstrates the President’s deep respect for the legislature.

The senator urged the President to seize the opportunity to recognize the leadership of the 3rd Republic National Assembly, including:

Senator Ameh Ebute, Senate President

Senator Albert Legogie, Deputy Senate President

Rt. Hon. Agunwa Anekwe, Speaker of the House of Representatives

Rt. Hon. Musa Kwankwaso, Deputy Speaker

“These leaders, among others, resisted attempts by the military regime to use the National Assembly to give legitimacy to the annulment of the June 12 election,” he said.

Nwaka recalled that several lawmakers, including President Tinubu (then a senator) and himself, were arrested for their role in efforts to reconvene the Assembly in defiance of military directives.

“In fact, President Tinubu was among the senators who were arrested and detained for their determination to reconvene the National Assembly. I, too, was arrested at Ikeja Airport on my way to attend the proscribed Assembly meeting. I was detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) at their Shangisha office and later moved to their Awolowo Road headquarters before being released,” he recounted.

He emphasized that the contributions of the 3rd Republic legislators must not be forgotten.

“For their democratic credentials, members of the 3rd Republic National Assembly should not be consigned to the dustbin of history—especially now that the President-elect of that Republic, Chief Moshood Abiola, and his running mate have been posthumously honoured,” he said.

Senator Nwaka concluded by stating that he and others who served alongside Tinubu in the 3rd Republic Senate are proud to see one of their own leading the nation.

“It is heartwarming that President Tinubu will address Nigerians from the National Assembly on June 12. This underscores the importance of the legislature as the fulcrum of democracy and is particularly symbolic given that the President began his political career as a senator.”