A leading Nigerian civil society group has called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a high-level inquiry into the annulment of the historic 1993 presidential elections and to take concrete steps to strengthen electoral integrity and democratic freedoms.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) made the appeal in a letter dated 14 June 2025, calling the annulment a grave injustice against the Nigerian people and a stain on the country’s democratic history. It urged the president to ensure accountability for what it described as “deliberate violations” of citizens’ rights.
“It’s time to confront the past and bring to justice those responsible for the June 12 travesty,” said SERAP in the letter signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare. “Nigeria’s democracy cannot thrive without confronting this legacy of impunity.”
The organisation urged Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi to prosecute those involved in the annulment and to push for amendments to the Electoral Act, making electronic transmission of results legally binding and giving voters full access to electoral records.
Citing Section 74(1) of the Electoral Act, which currently restricts access to election documents to petitioners only, SERAP argued that democratic transparency demands broader access, in line with the Nigerian Constitution and the Freedom of Information Act.
The group also called for the immediate withdrawal of all charges against individuals prosecuted for participating in peaceful demonstrations or exercising their right to free expression. It noted that these arrests run counter to democratic norms and international human rights standards.
In a broader reform push, SERAP asked for legislation to repeal or amend sections of Nigeria’s laws that curtail press freedom and criminalise dissent, including parts of the Cybercrimes Act and defamation laws in the Penal and Criminal Codes.
“The legacy of June 12 should not be symbolic,” the group stressed. “It must be reflected in concrete reforms that guarantee free, fair, and transparent elections, and protect citizens’ rights.”
SERAP warned that failure to act within seven days would prompt legal efforts to compel the administration to address its demands.
The appeal comes days after President Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to the spirit of June 12 during Nigeria’s Democracy Day address, in which he championed freedom, justice, and participatory governance.
