President Bola Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (Rtd), a prominent advocate of democracy and one of the vocal supporters of the June 12 election struggle.
The President made the announcement on Thursday during the commissioning of a 100 CNG Buses in Kaduna.
Colonel Dangiwa Umar, widely regarded as a “Soldier of Democracy” for his principled stand during Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement in the 1990s, was notably absent from the list of national honours awarded on June 12—Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
His exclusion drew concern from many quarters, given his historical role in defending democratic ideals during military rule.
In his speech, President Tinubu acknowledged the oversight and offered a public apology, stating: “The omission of Colonel Dangiwa Umar from the Democracy Day honours list was not intentional. It was a regrettable oversight, and I apologise. Today, I correct that by announcing the conferment of the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on him.”
Colonel Umar, a former military governor of Kaduna State, became one of the few officers who openly criticised the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. His bold stance earned him national respect and a lasting place in Nigeria’s democratic history.
President Tinubu praised Umar’s courage and unwavering commitment to justice and democratic governance, noting that his contributions could not be forgotten in the narrative of Nigeria’s democratic journey.
