Call me names, call me whatever you will, and I will still call upon democracy to defend your right to do so.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday marked Democracy Day with a firm defence of free speech, declaring that no Nigerian should suffer for criticising him or publishing unflattering reports.
Speaking at a special session of the National Assembly, Tinubu urged lawmakers to embrace dissent and avoid suppressing critical voices.
“No one should bear the brunt of injustice for merely writing a bad report about me or calling me names,” Tinubu said. “Call me names, call me whatever you will, and I will still call upon democracy to defend your right to do so.”
He emphasised that tolerance is essential in democratic leadership, adding that “some of the best advice a politician gets sometimes comes from his most ferocious opponents.”
While warning against slander and libel, Tinubu cautioned lawmakers against creating a repressive environment: “The imposed silence of repressed voices breeds chaos and ill will.”
He concluded by affirming that Nigeria’s democracy, though imperfect, remains alive and worth fighting for.