Port Harcourt – June 12, 2025
As Nigeria marked Democracy Day, dozens of citizens in Rivers State took to the streets in protest against what they described as persistent bad governance and rising economic hardship in the country.
The demonstrators, mostly youths, converged in parts of Port Harcourt early Wednesday morning, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “End Bad Governance,” “Fix the Economy,” and “We Demand Accountability.”
The peaceful protest was part of a nationwide action commemorating June 12, a symbolic date in Nigeria’s democratic history, used by many civil groups to demand reform and justice.
Speaking to reporters, one of the protesters, Chidi Okeke, said, “Democracy is not just about elections. We are out here because the people are hungry, the cost of living is unbearable, and the leaders are not listening.”
Security personnel were deployed to monitor the protest to ensure it remained peaceful. There were no reports of violence or arrests as of the time of filing this report.
June 12, declared a national public holiday, commemorates the annulled 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll.
