Democracy Day: Why I rejected Tinubu’s national honour – Ex-NADECO Activist Ralph Obioha

ENUGU — Former National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) activist and pro-democracy advocate, Chief Ralph Obioha, has declined the national honour conferred on him by President Bola Tinubu during the 2026 Democracy Day celebrations, citing concerns over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu and the worsening security situation in the country.
In a statement issued on Monday, Obioha expressed appreciation to President Tinubu and the Federal Government for the recognition but said accepting the award would be inconsistent with the democratic principles that guided the struggle against military rule.
The former lawmaker, who served in the National Assembly between 1979 and 1983, said he jo...