The Presidency has tendered a formal apology following a significant blunder in President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech, where two renowned Nigerian statesmen, Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Dr. Edwin Madunagu, were mistakenly listed among recipients of posthumous honours.
The mix-up, which quickly drew public attention and generated confusion across the country, occurred during the President’s televised address at the National Assembly on Thursday.
President Tinubu had announced a list of individuals honoured for their contributions to Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement and the restoration of civil rule.
However, controversy erupted when it was discovered that Pa Fasoranti, a respected Afenifere leader, and Dr. Madunagu, a veteran journalist and leftist thinker, were erroneously mentioned in the category reserved for the deceased.
Hours after the broadcast, the presidency, through the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, issued a statement acknowledging the error and assuring the public that corrective measures were being taken.
“Under the Posthumous Award category, the names of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the Afenifere leader, and Dr. Edwin Madunagu were incorrectly included. Both distinguished individuals are very much alive and, therefore, should not have appeared in the posthumous category,” Onanuga clarified.
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He described the mix-up as “an oversight” and extended the Presidency’s regrets over the incident. Onanuga further noted that steps were underway to amend the mistake across all relevant platforms.
“We sincerely regret this oversight. We shall make the necessary corrections across all State House digital platforms,” he said.
The Democracy Day honours were part of activities marking June 12, which commemorates the annulled 1993 general election widely regarded as Nigeria’s most free and fair poll.
