President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today conferred the prestigious national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (Rtd), a prominent June 12 democracy campaigner, rectifying an earlier omission that had drawn public attention.
The President announced the honour during his address at the commissioning of a newly built 300-bed hospital and vocational training institute in Kaduna. Colonel Umar, widely regarded as the “Soldier of Democracy” for his pivotal role in Nigeria’s democratic struggle, was notably absent from the list of over 60 Nigerians honoured on Democracy Day (June 12) for their contributions to the annulled 1993 election and the fight for democratic rule.
President Tinubu publicly apologized for the oversight, stating, “It was never our intention to neglect such a distinguished patriot. Colonel Umar’s sacrifices for democracy are well-documented, and today, we proudly correct this omission by conferring upon him the well-deserved honour of CFR.”
The recognition comes after public outcry and appeals from civil society groups and political commentators who noted Umar’s unwavering commitment to democratic ideals, even at great personal cost during military rule. A former military governor, Umar was known for his principled stance against authoritarianism, advocating for the validation of the June 12, 1993, election—widely considered Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll.
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